Economic Growth and Jobs for Southampton

• We have published a Masterplan for the city centre, providing a vision for future developments over the next 25 years, which would see £3b of inward investment and 24,000 new jobs. Key developments will progress in the next few years and we will work hard and be proactive to keep these on track.
• We are committed to the completion of the Cultural Quarter in Northern Above Bar, bringing 2,000 new jobs. The planned Southampton New Arts Complex has attracted over £7m in Arts Council funding, which we will not allow to be put at risk.
• We will take forward plans to redevelop the old Town Depot site in Endle Street (near Ocean Village) and to market the site for redevelopment for mixed and leisure use – including a ‘Snow Dome’ ski centre which will rival that in Milton Keynes.
• We will open the new Sea City Museum on 10th April, utilising the £5M we secured from the Heritage Lottery and external fundraising, creating 40 new jobs and providing a permanent exhibition for the Titanic in time for the centenary commemorations.
• We will work to secure the completion of Ocean Village, with the Allied residential scheme (which has recently gained a planning approval) and the new 70 bed spa hotel including a Michelin star restaurant.
• We will take forward the planned redevelopment of the waterfront at Royal Pier and Mayflower Park and create more green space and open up the waterfront for residents and visitors.
• We will encourage businesses to invest in our city as this will benefit the community in the long run, creating jobs and wealth for local people. We will have a proactive, open door approach. In the pipeline we have Lloyd’s Register (bringing 400 new jobs), new manufacturing businesses for Woolston, the new Morrisons in East Street, which will see the old East Street Centre pulled down and Apprentice Training Ltd moving to the old Eastpoint site, to provide training for the construction industry.
• We will stand up for the Port of Southampton and the local cruise industry, which sustains thousands of local jobs and brings 350 cruise ships to the city every year. We will oppose any unfair treatment of the port versus its rivals like Liverpool.
• We will progress plans to introduce a free city centre WiFi network in Southampton.
• Just as in 2011 there will be no increase in parking charges for 2012, to support residents and businesses.
• We will introduce free parking for the first 10 minutes for on street parking in the city centre to help local traders and support jobs (for instance in Bedford Place and East Street) and we will extend FREE on street parking on Sundays to 1pm, to encourage more shoppers to the city.
• We will keep FREE evening parking on street and in the council surface level car parks.
• We will launch a ‘Southampton Connect Card’ for local people to use local services and by working with retailers and businesses we will obtain discounts for residents.

It is vital that we keep Southampton on track. A Labour council would undermine all the progress we are making and risk jobs and growth. Labour opposed the council contract that facilitated the redevelopment of the old C&A site and the development of the new 1 Guildhall Square. Labour pulled funding from the award winning Guildhall Square redevelopment and if they had their way the Northern Above Bar Quarter regeneration would never have proceeded.

1. Foreword
2. A Fairer Deal for Southampton
3. Economic Growth & Jobs for Southampton
4. Travel, Transport & Highways
5. Leisure, Culture & Heritage
6. Environment
7. Planning & Enforcement
8. Schools & Childrens' Services
9. Older People
10. Housing
11. Community Safety
12. Southampton’s Big Society

 

You can also use the main menu above to quickly view each section of our 2012 Manifesto.