NEW multi-million-pound plans for a Hampshire airport will bring forward plans to create 2,500 new jobs, the Daily Echo can reveal.

The leader of Fareham Borough Council has revealed next phase of development at Solent Airport (formerly HMS Daedalus) at Lee-on-the-Solent, which the authority owns.

The plans would involve redeveloping 130,000 sq m. of land as employment space for businesses specialising in the aviation, aerospace engineering and advanced manufacturing.

Council leader Sean Woodward, said: “The scheme will help to develop Daedalus, proving that business is indeed booming at the airport.

“We have always targeted the business sector to become a prime business airport and consequently we already have a lot of very interested business looking to rent their own hangars on the site.

“We have a vision for the site which will see it become the premier location for aviation, aerospace engineering and advanced manufacturing businesses in the south.

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage added: “The site is set to create even more jobs and allowing more people to work locally.

“The success of Daedalus is crucial to the future of our local economy.”

The news comes after the council announced yesterday that five of the 11 planned business “hangars” at the site had been completed, which, as previously reported, are expected to create 1,000 jobs. Each hangar measures 6,350 sq ft.