THERE was a time when it was thought that the sky over Southampton would be thick with helicopters taking off and landing near the city centre.

As far back as 1948 plans were being made for a local helicopter terminal, which would have been the first of its kind in the country.

Three sites in and around the city were inspected; a recreation ground close to the former Royal Pier, an area near the old King George V dry dock in the Western Docks and it was even suggested to have two moored, floating platforms out in Southampton Water.

In those days Southampton planners were convinced that helicopters were the transport of the future and they envisaged regular services linking towns and cities across the country and even the Channel ports of France.

Eventually an emergency landing ground close to the New Docks was decided upon and, in August 1958, a helicopter from RAF Thorney Island touched down during a test flight.

Two years later the idea of a floating heliport surfaced again when a retired naval officer tried to convince the local authorities that ten flat-topped vessels should be moored off the Royal Pier, but this was given short shrift by the Southampton Harbour Board.

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By 1969 the heliport had become a reality and Lord Mountbatten flew in from his Broadlands home in Romsey to West Quay Road and officially opened the site.

In the following years the heliport proved successful and by 1973 Twyford Moors Helicopters, the company which ran the landing place, reported that 1,668 aircraft movement s had taken place in the previous year.

But by 1975 the heliport faced liquidation and eventually the 15-acre site became part of today’s City Industrial Estate.