Chalcroft Construction, of Lynn, has won the contract and is currently setting up the site so that it can start work on the £3.7 million development.

The scheme is to convert Manor Farm into a luxury hotel, convert a barn on site into holiday units and to construct some new carrstone cottages.

The development is being built next to Searles' 18-hole golf course.

Contract manager, Roy Burton, said: "This is a 42-week contract and at the moment we are setting up the site so that we can start work.

"We are already crushing some of the several hundred square metres of concrete on the site to use as we develop the roads.

"Key to this project is the landscaping and ensuring that the new units sit favourably with the existing building and for this we are sourcing locally-quarried carrstone.

Paul Searle commented: "This is a great new venture for us and we need to have first-class facilities for the 21st century."