SCORES of Southampton shipbuilders have an anxious wait to see if a revolutionary floating hotel will save their jobs.

Up to 650 employees at the Vosper Thornycroft yard in Woolston are staring redundancy in the face unless a vital order materialises soon.

A Hampshire-based developer is set to throw the workforce a multi-million pound lifeline in the shape of a possible contract to build the 200-room, five star luxury hotel to be berthed at Canary Wharf in London.

VT is also due to hear from the government next month if the company has been successful in its bid to build a new patrol vessel for the Royal Navy. Unfortunately, both proposals look as if they will be too late to stop the first batch of 150 jobs from going in just a few weeks time, but if VT is successful the orders could lead to a reduction in further redundancies.

A VT spokesman said the floating hotel would provide work for around 114 men for just over 12 months.

Redundancies were confirmed at the yard last month. The government signed a contract with BAe Systems for the next generation of warship, without the associated agreement with VT to build one of the first of the Type 45 destroyers.

David White, marketing director of Harbour Quay PLC, from Ringwood, which is behind the floating hotel, said: "We have been working with experts at Vospers on the hotel for the last two years now and, if we get the go-ahead from the planners, we will not be looking for tenders from any other companies.

"Timing is now the crucial element. If we obtain the green light from the local authority straight away we could start detailed engineering work almost immediately and construction in a few months time.''

A planning application for the hotel is expected to go before the London borough of Tower Hamlets council on January 29.