THE FIRST stage of a project that will eventually connect northern Southampton to Mayflower Park and Town Quay via a pedestrianised "boulevard" has been given the green light by city highways bosses.

Members of the city's ruling Liberal Democrat cabinet rubber-stamped the £417,000 scheme to pave over part of the Bargate as part of the council's flagship "north-south spine" project at a meeting yesterday.

The scheme aims to reconnect Cumberland Place in the north with Town Quay and Royal Pier - itself the site of a proposed £300m redevelopment project, which is scheduled to take place as part of a £1 billion vision to transform the city.