Work on a new £10 million hotel at Hamilton Park Racecourse is now underway with Robertson Group to serve as lead contractor.

Hampton by Hilton Hamilton Park will feature 118 rooms and is to be built on land previously used as a car park for racecourse guests.

Planning approval was granted by South Lanarkshire Council in December 2017, with work already underway on the ambitious project which is expected to open to the public in summer 2019.

Ed Parry, managing director, Robertson Central West, said: “It is hugely exciting to be working with Hamilton Park Racecourse in supporting them in realising the next phase of their business plan. The collaborative approach adopted by the client and the design team has enabled us to commit to delivering a hotel that the Racecourse, Hamilton and West of Scotland will be proud of.

“Robertson has previously built two Hampton by Hilton hotels in Aberdeen and another in Leeds so we know exactly what is required and that experience will prove invaluable in delivering a truly exceptional hotel. We will be combining traditional construction methods with modular techniques, which means we will be able to reduce build time without sacrificing quality.”

Located on Bothwell Road, the new hotel will be the first located on the site of the racecourse in its 90-year history. It will support up to 20 new jobs, doubling the current number of permanent employees at Hamilton Park Racecourse.

Based on an independent economic impact study, the hotel will generate an additional £5.9m per year in visitor expenditure. In addition to being used by those attending race meetings, the hotel is also expected to attract people looking to host weddings and other events.

Vivien Currie, chief executive at Hamilton Park Racecourse, said: “We are pleased to be working with Robertson on this landmark project for Hamilton Park which has been driven by both public demand, not only for racedays but also for other events.”

The venue has seen major growth in its non-raceday business over the last decade and has developed an enviable reputation as one of the leading conference, wedding and events venues in Central Scotland.

“One of our main business objectives has been to welcome an event to Hamilton Park on at least every other day of the year, whether that’s a raceday for thousands of visitors, a board meeting or that extra special wedding day,” added Vivien.

“We have a fantastic venue with unique grounds and first-class facilities that we continue to invest heavily in to ensure that we are meeting the constantly evolving expectations of our customers. The addition of the hotel will undoubtedly complement and expand the range of services we are able to offer.

“This is a key project in the continued evolution of the venue and is the next step in the development of the Hamilton Park experience.”