Work to turn a Sherborne stately home into a tourist attraction is due to commence at the end of February.

Sherborne House, a former arts centre and home of Lord Digby’s School, is set to begin its transformation from the week beginning Monday, February 27, according to contractors Redcliffe Homes.

Once refurbished, the venue will house office space and a café and hopes to attract tourists by staging exhibitions and events.

The Sherborne House Trust, an arts group which has leased the building since the early 1990s, hopes to continue providing services within the renovated Sherborne House in partnership with Redcliffe Homes.

John McQueen, land director at Redcliffe Homes, said: “We have a lot of work to do as the years have taken their toll on the structure.

“The new homes to the rear will be a further asset to the town. This is one of the most exciting projects that Redcliffe Homes has been involved with.”

Construction also began a few weeks ago on the former walled gardens behind the house, which will contain 44 new homes in a development known as Sherborne House Gardens.

The developer, based at Chipping Sodbury near Bristol, has a track record of undertaking developments in historic locations such as Bath and received unprecedented interest in the new Sherborne homes at a launch weekend last month with selling agents Connells.

Kath Faull, Redcliffe’s sales and marketing manager, said: “We had 150 people requesting information on the day and 80 people queued around the block outside Connells’ offices to meet us and discuss the development.

“Most of the people we saw were local and many have been waiting for us to launch before putting their property on the market to move. We are on schedule to launch the show home this spring.”

Two-bedroom apartments and houses and four-bedroom houses are among the first to be built with prices ranging from £235,000 up to £595,000.

But despite interest in the development from potential buyers, some feel that the development will not do much to help the future of Sherborne House itself.

Peter Rhodes, deputy mayor of Sherborne, said: “These prices do not say affordable housing to me. It is a good thing to restore the house and work on the mural but at the moment I can’t see the art side of Sherborne House continuing on the scale it has done in the past.

“The planning happened above our heads. I really wonder where Sherborne House is going.

“I’ve seen the brochures and I don’t think the houses fit the style of Sherborne. But I’m sure they will sell.”

Fifteen of the properties on sale will be offered as affordable housing, while the other 29 will be for open sale.

Joanna Lennon, head of press relations at TC Communications for the Sherborne House Gardens project, said: “The affordable homes are available through the local authority and the Guinness Trust.

“Prices will be from £92,000 for a one-bed apartment and £99,000 for a two-bedroom house. Those interested in affordable housing should contact the Guinness Trust or the local authority for more details on eligibility and availability.”