7:26am Monday 4th February 2008
By Peter Law
SOUTHAMPTON'S Solent Sky Museum could be knocked down and rebuilt as part of an apartment complex in a bid to secure its future.
Exhibits would take up the first three floors of a new seven-storey tower that would also house 50 flats, under a scheme to be considered by Southampton City Council planners tomorrow.
The museum, which tells the history of aviation in Hampshire and in particular the legend of the Spitfire, opened at the site near Ocean Village in 1984 and is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions.
But visitor numbers have dropped from a high of 40,000 a year to just 15,000 since Ocean Village was transformed into a marina dominated by luxury apartments.
Squadron Leader Alan Jones, curator of Solent Sky, said the redevelopment was needed to secure the museum's future.
Developer Kings Oak Partnership wants the sale of five studio flats, 21 one-bedroom flats and 24 two-bedroom flats to fund the new museum.
However five trees at the junction of Albert Road South and Royal Crescent Road threaten to halt the development.
The council's tree team - one of four objectors - raised concerns that no tree survey work had been submitted to support the planning application.
Two horse chestnuts, two London planes and a lime would be felled under the current plans and the tree team wants to see them retained under any redevelopment of the site.
The council's planning officer has recommended the plans are refused, however Mr Jones said he was confident of a compromise.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk