EDP Top100 firm Oyster Yachts has revealed it is poised to seal a deal to build a 115ft super yacht - the largest Oyster ever built in the UK.

The multi-million-pound craft will be built at its Southampton yard but the space it will take up will mean shifting production of more lines to Hoveton and accelerating expansion in Norfolk.

News of the latest advance was revealed on a visit to its site on the Tilia Business Park by north Norfolk MP Norman Lamb.

Mr Lamb met some of the apprentices taken on during the luxury yacht builder's rapid growth and heard about plans to step up production even further.

Suzy Lynch, general manager of Oyster Yachts Wroxham, revealed that the workforce at the former Landamores yard had risen from 70 when they took it over three years ago to about 180.

Following completion of a £500,000 extension earlier this year - increasing the number of build bays from seven to nine - a further expansion to 14 build bay was already planned.

She said: 'Plans will be submitted to North Norfolk Council next month for a joint investment of £5m with our business park landlord; the scheme will also include a residential component with plans for 26 homes.'

The Hoveton yard had 10 boats in build and pressure on space would increase in June when production started on a new Oyster 675 range - they had already secured a sale on the first one to be built.

Ms Lynch said Oyster - unlike most other yacht builders - had continued to expand through the economic downturn by building on its reputation as an elite brand.

Their success was also built on exemplary customer service. 'We support our yacht owners anywhere, anytime,' she said.

Describing Oyster as 'a world class luxury brand hidden away in Hoveton', she revealed more than 50pc of their sales were overseas.

By the close of their financial year (December) they would have reached a £45m turnover, and would be looking to further build on that.

Their order book was 85pc full for 2015 and had already reached the 35pc mark for 2016, she added.

Ms Lynch said the further planned expansion would create an extra 40 jobs.

Apprentices constituted 15pc of their staff and they had a good relationship with Great Yarmouth College; however, finding experienced staff was more of a problem and they had absorbed a lot of the local boatbuilding talent.

Has your business bucked the economic downturn? Email stephen.pullinger@archant.co.uk