Construction firm Willmott Dixon has been appointed by the Stobart Group to build a €11.5 million 4-┬¡star hotel at London Southend Airport.

Designed by architects Leach Rhodes Walker, the 129-bedroom hotel will provide facilities for airport passengers and local business users and is expected to be open in time for the 2012 Olympics.

Additionally, the five-storey building will have a restaurant and private dining room on the top floor with panoramic views of the airport.

Alastair Welch, managing director of London Southend Airport said: "High quality and convenient hotel facilities are essential ingredients of successful regional airports and an important part of our plans to modernise London Southend Airport.

"This hotel will greatly improve facilities for passengers, as well pilots and flight crew using the airport, whilst also becoming an exciting new venue and resource for local businesses and people."

Willmott Dixon has built ten hotels in the past year across the country and said that the Southend development would be "symbolic of the airport's continued renaissance" .

Tim Wheeldon, hotel sector manager at Willmott Dixon, said: "This hotel is a considerable investment and reinforces Stobart Group's plans to develop the airport into a striking and modern new facility.

"We are working to a tight programme with completion scheduled before the Olympics, and we will be utilising local labour and suppliers as and when we can during the build and fit out process."

The operator of the hotel will be announced in due course.