SUPERMARKET giant Sainsbury's is making a fresh bid to build a new store on the site of a Southampton bus depot.

Company bosses have redesigned the proposed Portswood store to include an underground car park after its previous £30m plan was thrown out after a public inquiry.

Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, agreed with a planning inspector's report which said that the layout of proposed affordable housing and the superstore car park was unacceptable.

However, the inspector's report left the door open for Sainsbury's to come back with new plans for a large supermarket with a 400-space car park on the current First Bus depot in Portswood Road.

It said that the site was acceptable,that it would be good for customer choice in the area, and that it might benefit the vitality of the district shopping centre.

The new design sees the supermarket nearer to the street.

Sainsbury's spokesman Tom Wadsworth said: "Before, you could see the car park from the road, which was part of the problem, but we put it under the store. Now it is not a problem to have it near the residential area.

"We reached a compromise over parking. Sainsbury's wanted 400 spaces, local people wanted more but the council's policy wanted less, so we settled on 325."

The latest plans include a 40,000 sq ft food store, a medical centre and about 150 new homes, including 20 town houses. The car park would be open to everyone, making it easier for people to use other shops and services in Portswood.

The plans were unveiled at a public exhibition over the weekend.

Sainsbury's originally brought forward its plans in 2004, which were adapted to accommodate issues raised by Portswood residents, by removing student housing, adding a medical centre and introducing traffic calming measures for Belmont Road.

First Group plans to build a new bus depot in Empress Road, Southampton, to provide modern working facilities for its staff.