THE ARCHITECT chosen by Southampton City Council to revamp the redundant Vosper Thornycroft site in Woolston also built one of Britain's most infamous white elephants - The Millennium Dome.

City bosses announced plans to redevelop the prestigious site with the Richard Rogers Partnership yesterday.

Lord Rogers, who also designed the Antwerp Law Courts and the Lloyds building in London, has been given a design brief to redevelop the redundant shipyard for leisure, employment and housing.

The multi-million-pound scheme will also include "landmark buildings" of the "highest quality", according to the architects.

Lord Rogers - who chaired the

government's "urban task force" - is expected to work over the next eight months to produce an overall vision for the site, with initial plans likely to emerge in January 2004.

A massive consultation exercise is also planned with local residents and businesses in Woolston, to ensure that their points of view are taken into account before the final planning application is produced next summer.

Andrew Morris, director of the Richard Rogers Partnership, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen as the winning design team. The Woolston shipyard is a terrific site, providing an opportunity to integrate this former dockyard with the community, offering a range of exciting mixed-use opportunities."

Community leaders welcomed the appointment of the architects.

Woolston councillor Richard Williams warned, however, that the prestigious development must not become a rich person's playground.

He said: "We must make sure that the residents of Woolston and Weston have access to the waterfront, and also make sure that the employment aspects of the area are enhanced and developed."

He added that there must be marina- related activities in the area to make use of the waterfront - and that the development was a catalyst to revitalise Woolston's economy.

The site was sold to the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) earlier this year for about £15m.

Bosses at Southampton City Council, SEEDA, English Partnerships and the Richard Rogers Partnership are set to run the consultation process, co-ordinating with residents and businesses before final plans are agreed.

A cross-party working group made up of city councillors, officers and the Richard Rogers Partnership will also meet on a regular basis.

Member of the steering group and deputy leader of the council's Conservative group, Councillor Royston Smith, said he was happy about the choice of architects.

He added: "They are world-class and I am quite excited about what they propose to do."

City council leader Councillor Adrian Vinson added: "This site presents a tremendous opportunity both for Woolston and for Southampton as a whole.

"I'm delighted with this news, and with the opportunity to bring architects of international vision to work in the city."