DERELICT land once used as a Southampton factory could be given a new lease of life should plans for new working spaces and a coffee drive-thru be approved.

Plans have been submitted to Southampton City Council proposing to build three buildings on the former Ford factory on Wide Lane in Swaything.

The plans have been met with support from one local councillor who says the proposed development would bring new jobs to the area.

The proposals details plans for two "flexible employment spaces" and a coffee shop with a drive-thru as well as additional parking and landscaping on the plot of land opposite the Orion Industrial Estate.

The plans propose a further 50 parking spaces bringing the told number of spaces in the area to 67.

There are no details on which business is proposed for the coffee drive-thru.

Swaylthing councillor Lorna Fielker told the Daily Echo: "I welcome further development of the Old Ford site on Wide Lane and the jobs that this will bring to the locality.

"I do hope that the plans for the businesses that occupy these new units include jobs for people living in Mansbridge and other nearby communities.”

The site has sat mainly unused since Ford pulled its workers out back in 2013.

It first opened its doors in 1953.

In that time, more than 2.2m Ford Transit vans were built by the company at it’s city-based plant.

All 531 employees working at the factory chose to either get redeployed within Ford, or take voluntary redundancy or early retirement.

A total of 134 of those went to work at Ford’s new redistribution centre at Southampton Docks.

The application has been submitted by Hambridge Estates Ltd and was put to the council on February 24.