Demolition work to make way for a major new Norwich hotel could begin in the coming weeks.

Eastern Daily Press: The International Aviation Academy Norwich, which would be next to the new hotel. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe International Aviation Academy Norwich, which would be next to the new hotel. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

In 2017, a bid was lodged to build a Hampton by Hilton hotel on Spitfire Road, just a stone's throw away from Norwich Airport and next to the International Aviation Academy.

Planning permission was granted by Norwich City Council in December of that year for the £10m project, and tweaks to the scheme were later approved in March last year.

Now, documents published on the city council's planning website on December 13 show that Appleby Leisure, which is behind the scheme, has appointed Truman Build as a contractor, prompting a need to make further minor changes to the plans, including an alteration in materials.

The firm's covering letter says demolition on the site is due to begin in January 2020, with a "10-month build programme" scheduled after.

Initially, it was hoped the hotel could be open by spring 2019.

The council's planning team is yet to decide on the latest application.

News of the hotel was widely welcomed when it was first revealed, with both the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce hailing it as a sign of Norfolk's growing economy.

At the time, the chamber said the city "needs to be taken seriously with the amount of large companies coming here".

It also addressed calls for more accommodation provision in the city.

When built, the hotel is set to have 126 bedrooms, and would be a five minute walk away from the main terminal at the airport.

The changes approved last year included the introduction of four different bedroom types - king, queen family, twin and superking flex - a rethink of the location of the main entrance, the addition of a "games station" and a new "small self-service bar/service station" area.

The hotel is expected to create 40 jobs, and will be built on land which was most recently used as a vehicle rental business. It has been vacant for some time.