The developer behind a £200m plan to transform the Southampton waterfront has said it is committed to providing affordable housing to the city.

The Nicolas James Group, behind the plans to bring an ‘iconic skyline’ to Town Quay in Southampton, has said there will be affordable and key worker housing provision despite viability reports saying it wouldn’t be cost-effective.

The developer said the group will pay the council an agreed amount for off-site affordable housing and the authority will then decide where the money is spent.

The planning statement for the plans said ‘due to the significant cost involved in land reclamation, repair and redevelopment of Town Quay Marina’, the only way to provide affordable housing would be 'via an off-site contribution’.

The reason for this was because of maintenance costs that housing providers would have to pay, the developer told the Echo.

Now the chairman of Nicolas James Group, Nicolas Roach said: “Although viability reports show that affordable housing contributions would not need to be provided, primarily due to huge infrastructure costs associated with land reclaim and the structure of the Town Quay pier, at Town Quay, Nicolas James group has already confirmed that it intends to provide affordable housing contributions and key worker housing.”