SHIPBUILDING is set to return to Southampton, bringing hundreds of jobs with it.

The Daily Echo can exclusively reveal that a deal is set to be signed for a new manufacturing facility at the former Vosper Thornycroft site.

The news, which could see 250 new jobs created as boat-building returns to the city after 12 years, has been hailed as a “historic” day by civic chiefs.

Work on the neighbouring Centenary Quay development, which will eventually see 1,600 new homes created, has been going on for several years now.

The former shipyard site next door has been unoccupied since the shipbuilder closed in 2003.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is in advanced discussions with Marchwood-based developer Oceanic Estates over a deal for the 7.5 acre site next to the River Itchen.

Under the proposals, almost 6,000sq m would be developed to create shipyards and other marine and maritime sector space.

The deep-water berth would be utilised, and frames for vessels such as yachts could be constructed at the site.

Oceanic Estates and the HCA say 250 jobs could be created as firms occupy the site for boat building and other activities, with a planning application set to be handed in this summer.

If that is approved, construction work could begin later this year and the new shipyard could be up and running next spring.

The HCA’s area manager, Jeremy Herring, said: “This agreement represents a vital part in bringing high quality new jobs back to this site.

“It has taken a great deal of work to get to the point where we are able to unveil further plans.

“In many ways, the hard work really starts now and we will be focused on working with Oceanic Estates and local partners to ensure that the vision for the site becomes reality.”

Oceanic Estates is the firm behind the refurbishment of industrial units at Fareham Business Park and was responsible for overhauling the Marchwood Industrial Park, where 1,000 people are employed.

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The site was sold to Associated British Ports for £90million at the end of last year.

Harry Hutchinson, director at Oceanic Estates, said negotiations for firms to occupy the site are ongoing.

He said: “This site contains the key aspects that are important to quality boat manufacturing companies.

“It’s in an area with a history of boat-building, good access to the quayside and deep water berthing.

“And it’s part of a wider regeneration scheme that is putting Southampton on the map.

“This will be a hugely important project for us, and we look forward to seeing it make a full contribution to the success of the Marine Employment Quarter at Centenary Quay.”

The agreement has been welcomed by local civic leaders and business chiefs.

City council leader Simon Letts said: “It’s positive news for the city, it’s good to have manufacturing coming back into use in the city and the vision for the Vosper site was always to create jobs as well as housing.

“If shipbuilding returns to the city it will be historic, particularly as shipbuilding is ceasing in Portsmouth, so this would be a shot in the arm for the city’s economy.”

Stewart Dunn, chief executive of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, added: “This is fantastic news. I think it ticks a number of boxes in terms of economic growth, in returning boatbuilding back to the city, utilising one of the city’s assets in the deep-sea berth and creating jobs in the marine and maritime sector.

“We would like to see the plans accelerated as soon as possible.”

Labour’s Southampton Itchen MP John Denham said: “This would be good news and I hope that the company that will build the boats will be confirmed as soon as possible.

“This is a crucial site because there aren’t many waterfront sites in the city where maritime businesses can locate, and I think it’s been right that they have hung on to the site until the right user came along.

“This could consolidate Southampton’s position in the maritime industry.”

 

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FOR almost 100 years the site on the banks of the Itchen was a key part of Southampton’s illustrious shipbuilding heritage.

The yard off Victoria Road was first opened by Sunderland-based shipbuilder TR Oswald in 1876 and started turning out large iron sailing ships.

It was then taken over by Mordey, Carney and Co in 1900, with one of its first vessels the floating bridge for the crossing over to Southampton.

In 1904 Thornycroft took on the site, and the destroyer HMS Tartar the first naval vessel to be launched at the site in 1907.

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Over the next 99 years the firm, which later became Vosper Thornycroft, built a series of vessels for the Royal Navy as well as cargo and passenger vessels.

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Daily Echo: The last ship to be built at the yard, HMS Mersey.

In the years before the firm relocated to Portsmouth and closed the yard in 2003, it had been used to build fibre reinforced plastic ships, the experimented trimaran warship HMS Triton and the Mirabella V, in 2003 the world’s biggest single-masted yacht.

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Since the last workers left the site it has remained empty, with the former facilities demolished to make way for a potential new development.