DAVID Haisman is a man who knows a lot about Southampton's past.

Now, he has come up with a radical plan to shape the city's future.

Mr Haisman, whose mother Edith survived the Titanic disaster, has come up with his own vision for Southampton's elusive "wow" factor - build a giant skyscraper at Mayflower Park.

The local author says the giant 200m tower could be decorated with murals from the city's past including a picture of Southampton's most famous ship.

Mr Haisman's mother Edith survived the tragedy in 1912 and David later wrote a best-selling account of her life, I'll See You in New York.

She even had a street named after her in Freemantle after she became the oldest living Titanic survivor in 1997 when she celebrated her 100th birthday.

Now, David, 67, of West End says he wants a giant tower on the seafront which would rival Portsmouth's iconic Spinnaker Tower.

Inside the tower would be a maritime museum incorporating the Titanic story as well as other elements from the city's maritime past.

An upper observation deck on the huge structure would include coin slots and binoculars which would allow visitors panoramic views over Southampton Water.

Inside the tower would be conference centres, shops and a local information point. The tower would be linked by a glass walkway to a refurbished Royal Pier.

Mr Haisman, who was born and bred in the city, said the giant building would pay for itself like a toll bridge over the years if people were charged to go up to the viewing platform which would tower hundreds of feet over the city.

He said: "When I was a young fellow back in the 1950s, there was so much going on in the town. We had just rebuilt after the war. we had the ice rink and dances at the Guildhall. I can remember the Royal Pier being a terrific place.

"There seemed to be so much there. Now, it is very disappointing."

He added that his mother would have loved to have seen a Titanic exhibition. He regretted she had not lived to see the epic James Cameron film about the disaster.