A MULTINATIONAL company is set to take over Southampton’s former Ford Transit site, the Daily Echo can reveal today.

Mountpark, which creates “logistics hubs”, is in advanced negotiations with Ford to buy the site in Swaythling.

There are fresh hopes from politicians and business leaders that the deal will bring massive investment and hundreds of jobs to the city.

The last remains of the old Transit plant, which closed in 2013, have now been knocked down after a mammoth demolition project over the past five months.

The famous factory buildings are now no more after the controversial end of Transit production which had taken place in the city for more than 40 years.

Ford moved production to Turkey in 2013 in a highly controversial move that led to the loss of more than 350 jobs.

The Daily Echo understands that Mountpark beat several rival bids to be in pole position to seal a deal for the site.

It has been reported that the firm bid £20million for the site, which it could turn into a 450,000sq ft logistics park featuring industrial elements.

Daily Echo: Demolition work at the site

The deal is set to be rubber-stamped by the end of the year. The company, which has offices in Luxembourg and Poland as well as the UK, recently completed two major deals elsewhere in the country in Manchester and at Wakefield Mountpark also offers working yards, car parks, and security services.

City council leader Simon Letts said: “They are a highly reputable national company with a track record in developing sites, particularly near airports.

“We have every confidence in their ability to bring the Ford site back to life.

“We will argue to them that we want to see manufacturing on part of the site – the aim is that we want more people working there than there were when Ford shut.”

Romsey and Southampton North MP Caroline Nokes, whose constituency includes the site, described the development as “encouraging”.

She added: “The site has the potential to create hundreds of jobs in the area and I hope whoever takes on the site will ensure they work to bring as many employment opportunities as possible for local people.”

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith said: “I am pleased the site will be redeveloped and I welcome any new jobs it will create.

“I wish the Labour-controlled council had taken a more proactive role to ensure manufacturing could be brought back to the site.”

Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead said: “One of the fears I had when Ford vacated the site was the time that it would take to turn it around so the news that this is happening and the fact that Ford have got on with the process of handing over the site is very good news.

“Clearly there remains a lot do but this is good news for the area.”

Hampshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stewart Dunn said: “It is important that if we are to remain a major force as a port then we need logistics warehousing and in that case it certainly fits the bill and we will wait with anticipation how many jobs it will create.”

Mountpark and Ford declined to comment.