THE man behind some of the world's most distinctive buildings, including the Millennium Dome, has unveiled his vision for the former home of shipbuilder Vosper Thornycroft.

Top architect Richard Rogers has come up with a masterplan for the 32-acre waterfront site in Woolston.

Although the finer details have yet to be decided, his firm of architects - The Richard Rogers Partnership - hopes to eventually design a community with a mixture of housing, industry and leisure facilities.

Sir Richard was in Southampton to launch his vision and answer questions at a public consultation day.

He said: "The site has a wide variety of potential. You have got the sea and an amazing view which you cannot get to at the moment. We want to open it up to the public."

He is also keen to make the 1,500-home development sustainable by providing jobs on the site.

"The economic engine has been taken out of the area and we want to make sure there is scope for marine industries on the site," he said.

The existing deepwater facilities and dredging rights make it the perfect location for marine related industries.

Sir Richard has also not ruled out incorporating shops, bars and cafes in the development after describing some of the shops in nearby Victoria Road as "run-down".

The architects' plan also includes redefining the shoreline by removing slipways to open up views across the water.

The design was put on public display for the first time at St Mark's Institute Community Hall in Woolston.

One visitor, Alan Wraight, 63, of Longmore Avenue, Woolston, said he was impressed with the general aim of the scheme to combine housing and industry.

"It's a bit difficult to tell what it will look like because the plan is a bit vague. At least they're trying to open up the whole site to the public."

Next week they will be on display at Chamberlayne Leisure Centre before moving to Southampton Civic Offices.

A planning application is expected to be submitted by September and building work is due to begin next year.

The development on the site bought in a £15m deal by the South East England Development Agency earlier this year may not be completed until as late as 2010.

All comments should be sent before June 8 to Richard Smith, Southampton City Council, Floor 3, Marland House, 17 Civic Centre Road, Southampton, SO14 7LT.

If Sir Richard fails. . . the kids are ready to step in

WHAT do you want to do when you grow up?

While many youngsters might want to be firemen, nurses or footballers, one Southampton school is raising a whole new generation of architects.

The 310 children at St Patrick's School in Woolston were invited to redesign Woolston Riverside.

Infants designed their ideal house on the site, the lower juniors designed a public square or riverside walk and the juniors came up with a blueprint for the entire site.

The winners in each year were Ellie Seaton-Smith, 4, Emilia Valpy, 5, Lucy Shackell, 7, Martha Fairnam, 8, Grant Newham, 9, Ashleigh Reeves, 9 and Bethany Shakell, 11.