MULTI-million pound plans are in the pipeline to attract commercial air companies to a Hampshire airfield.

Up to 150 jobs could be created by revamping and relighting the airstrip and building a bigger hangar at Daedalus in Fareham, the site of the new Solent Enterprise Zone.

And if moves to licence the airfield gets the green light, commercial airlines and business planes could use the 1,100 runway which at the moment is unlicensed and only allowed to host light aircraft and private jets.

Fareham Borough Council's executive leader Seán Woodward said moves were afoot which, if supported by all parties involved, would result in a “substantial additional investment” being injected into the Enterprise Zone.

Planes such as the BAe-146 or Bombardier Q400 would be able to use the runway if the funding scheme came to fruition.

Money would come from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and the Homes and Community Agency.

Cllr Woodward said the proposals would “build on the investment thus far secured”.

It would also see improvements to the airfield, new commercial premises for aviation-led businesses and incubator units for small to medium enterprises.

He added: “Over recent months, there has been a significant amount of investment secured which supports this objective, including highways improvements to serve the site, and a new training facility provided by Fareham College.

“It is a conceptual proposal that the Council has been working on with the landowner (the Homes and Communities Agency) and the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership.

“If the principle can be supported by all parties, and importantly if funding can be secured, then it would result in a substantial additional investment being injected into the Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus, and would facilitate delivery of around 150 jobs into the medium term.”