A GIANT, 130ft tribute to the iconic Spitfire could tower over Southampton’s waterfront by autumn 2018.

That is the hope of the team behind the plans for the monument at Mayflower Park, who this week delivered an update on their proposals.

At the meeting some of the leaders of the recently formed National Spitfire Monument charity said they would officially launch the campaign to raise £4m for it later this year.

The plans to create a lasting tribute to the aircraft, which was built in the city and was instrumental in British victory in the Battle of Britain, have been in the pipeline for several years.

Two previous sites were put forward for the monument but Town Quay was rejected due to the need to install an expensive underwater structure, while Trafalgar Dock could not be used as it is set to be home to ferry firm Red Funnel’s new terminal.

Bosses at the charity hope it is third time lucky with the new location in Mayflower Park. They were granted planning permission last year, while the city council formally handed over the land earlier this year.

The plans are now starting to gather pace, with former Rolls Royce chief executive Sir Ralph Robins named as the charity’s president and former VT Group chief executive Paul Lester will be vice-president.

It also features Tony Edwards, the former president of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Solent Sky museum founder Alan Jones and city councillor John Hannides on its board.

A £70,000 grant from the city council and about £150,000 from other donations was raised but went on feasibility studies for the monuments proposed locations, leaving charity chiefs back at the beginning in their quest to raise £4m.

While the fundraising campaign has not been formally launched yet, Cllr Hannides did ask Hampshire’s business leaders for their help in making the statue a reality at a meeting at Blake Morgan’s offices in Chandler’s Ford.

A number of companies, including Mindworks Marketing, NHDS, Evolution5, KPMG and Blake Morgan have also come forward to offer services for free.

Speaking at the meeting, which also featured speeches from Mr Jones and Australian designer Nick Hancock, Cllr Hannides said: “Once the money has been raised I am confident that we can build an internationally acclaimed tribute to the Spitfire, among the most significant and evocative landmarks anywhere in the world.

“It will represent an enduring symbol of innovation, engineering excellence, ground-breaking design, courage and freedom, things that are as relevant today as they were all of that time ago.”

Next steps in the project include appointing a detailed design team, carrying out site surveys, finalising legal negotiations and appointing specialised contractors.

Work on the statue can then begin and it is expected to be fully-built by the end of 2018.