The Coniston Hotel and Country Estate has announced the development of a spa adjacent to the property’s hotel building in the UK's Yorkshire Dales.

Set to open in Q4 2015, the 16,500sq ft (1,533sq m) spa will offer views over the estate’s 24 acre (10 hectare) lake. Expected to create at least 35 new jobs for the local market, the new facility will offer a 15m swimming pool, thermal spa suite, gym, dance studio, spa treatments, relaxation and dining areas and an outdoor spa pool and terrace.

The Coniston Spa will be open to guests of the 71-bedroom four-star hotel and day visitors from the local area. An exclusive club membership limited to a set number of members will go on sale in Q2 of 2015. Local media reports state that the hotel hopes to have around 500 members.

Yorkshire Bank is backing the project, which officially broke ground on Monday 19 January. Design is by Mark Green of Yorkshire-based Curveline Design and leading spa consultant Nicki Kurran – who has previously worked with Champneys and The Dorchester. East Lancashire-based Barnfield Construction has been appointed main contractor to deliver the project.

“We’re expecting that before the end of the year we will have created a fantastic new facility for our hotel guests and local residents – one which will not only create many new jobs but will bring more visitors to this part of the Dales for years to come,” said chairman and owner of The Coniston Hotel and Country Estate Michael Bannister.

Bannister bought the Coniston Estate more than 40 years ago, according to local media, when it was in a state of disrepair. He and his family turned it into a fish farm producing rainbow trout, then they added a tea room before adding a bar and then bedrooms.

“I think a spa is an essential part of the modern hotel,” Bannister told The Yorkshire Post. “We had to create a good hotel before we could move forward but we believe this is a very important part of our operation. What was important for us – to be a real destination hotel – was to have a spa.”