Ford wants to use Swaythling site to refurbish Transit vans

The last van rolled off the production line at the factory in Swaythling last July after the firm decided to move production to Turkey.

As previously reported, Ford has kept on 70 workers to work at a new refurbishment and distribution centre which would be on the site of the Transit plant in Swaythling.

Sixty-four workers are also already working at a distribution centre in the docks which opened last year.

The company wants to use existing buildings at the rear of the site near to the M27 for use as the refurbishment centre.

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The new centre would operate from 6am to 10pm, and would initially deal with about 20 vehicles a day, although that is likely to rise to 50 eventually.

The site would also house an export distribution centre with vehicle jet washing.

Ford says vehicles entering and leaving the site will do so via Wide Lane, rather than Mansbridge Road, which was the entry and exit point for the Transit plant.

Southampton City Council’s planning panel is due to discuss the plans today and they have been recommended to approve the plans by officers.

Discussions are still ongoing about the future use of the rest of the site.

Ford has already said it expects it will be used for employment, and it is still in talks with the city council, Eastleigh Borough Council and other stakeholders.