STAFF from supermarket giant Sainsbury's faced mixed reactions from residents when they discussed plans to build a new store in Southampton.

If proposals get the go-ahead from council planners, the scheme in Portswood will include a food store with restaurant, 400 car parking spaces on two levels, 46 units of student accommodation and 97 residential flats.

The development would be built on the site of the First bus depot at 226 Portswood Road and would create 300 jobs.

The depot would be relocated and a spokesman at First said the move would not result in any job losses.

One hundred residents attended an exhibition of the plans at Portswood Library yesterday.

Many said they were pleased that Portswood might have another large supermarket in addition to the current Safeway and smaller Somerfield.

Others feared an increase in traffic and noise.

Sainsbury's spokeswoman Sharon Ward said: "We have been very pleased with the number of people that we have been able to speak to.

"It's been very busy and we have been encouraged by the really positive responses that we have had.

"We are taking people's views and will feed them through into the planning application when we submit it. We hope to submit the plans before the end of the year."

In response to concerns about noise and traffic including deliveries to the store she said: "Management of the site has not been decided yet. We are still at a very early stage."

The exhibition continues today at Portswood Library, Portswood Road, from 10am until 3pm.