SOUTHAMPTON residents have welcomed a planning application by Swedish furniture giant Ikea to build a store in the city.

However, in spite of the company's claims its landmark blue and yellow store won't cause traffic chaos, Daily Echo readers repeated concerns over the proposed West Quay location.

They fear the four-storey 35,000 square metre store with 981-space five-level car park on the former Pirelli cable works site will bring long queues and congestion.

Ikea switched to the site from Millbrook in response to Government planning policy.

It has applied to open it from 10am to 10pm and estimates up to 15 per cent more traffic from between 5,000 and 6,000 customers and up to 24 deliveries each day.

Scores of Echo readers have commented on news of the planning application.

Kristine Salomon-Olsen, head of policy at Southampton & Fareham Chamber of Commerce said it was "a step towards further development of Southampton's role as the preferred choice of major retail centre in the south outside London."

She added: "We trust that the city council will think carefully about the transport implications for this new development, especially in connection with the volume of traffic created by major events held in the city and by Christmas shoppers."

Southampton city centre manager Ian Rothwell said: "It's brilliant Ikea have chosen Southampton.

"There will be winners and losers but this is going to bring a huge number of people to Southampton. Its catchment area will become much bigger. The nearest other stores are Bristol or Croydon. It will be an opportunity for people to spend a day here."

Mr Rothwell added: "Everybody would be the first to complain if Ikea went to Portsmouth."

In its planning application Ikea predicts the store will attract 2m shoppers a year, of which 89 per cent will visit the rest of the city.