SOUTHAMPTON’S opposition leader has accused his Labour rival of “headline-chasing” by touting plans to redevelop Leisure World.

Conservative Jeremy Moulton claimed Cllr Simon Letts, pictured, had May’s election in mind when he unveiled proposals to demolish the waterfront complex and build a conference centre.

Cllr Moulton warned the idea is only “speculation” before commercial partners are on board.

Cllr Letts, leader of Southampton City Council, said: “If Cllr Moulton is opposed to this idea then he should say so.”

It came as Hampshire Chamber of Commerce chief Stewart Dunn gave his backing to the project.

As reported by the Daily Echo on Friday, the waterfront site has been earmarked for a new complex and entertainment hub which could attract top bands and political gatherings.

Cllr Letts, below, said the scheme, costing hundreds of millions of pounds, would tie in with other developments to turn the city into the “capital of the south”.

Daily Echo:

But Cllr Moulton criticised his decision to advertise the idea with council elections weeks away.

He said: “To my understanding there’s not been any [commercial] discussions around the conference centre at all.

“If there’s a genuine interest in it, myself and many others would think it’s a great idea to have a conference centre. But they’ve got to be commercially viable and the people who are going to pay the money to build them have got to be confident it’s going to work.

“I think there’s a significant element of puff in this, a few weeks before an election."

Cllr Moulton, below, added: “I think it’s more about headline-chasing, rather than actually about real prospects that are based on proper discussions.”

Daily Echo:

Responding to the claims, Cllr Letts said discussions had started with head leaseholders.

He added: “The first step is to carry out a full feasibility study which I would present to the new directly elected Solent mayor. This will identify the cost demand and potential site.

“This is part of Labour’s vision for the city, a modern, European waterfront city with a historic past and a great future.”

Meanwhile, Stewart Dunn, chief executive of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, has said a conference centre for Southampton was overdue.

“I think the south central area needs this sort of facility, and with our motorway and rail network and our airport we’re ideally placed for visitors from both home and abroad to visit it,” he said.

“That will mean more jobs and it will mean more income into the city.

Meanwhile, John Lewis has poured cold water on Cllr Letts’ claims that it is looking to leave its distribution warehouse opposite Leisure World.

The Labour leader said this would free up land to make the scheme even bigger.

A spokesman for the department store said: “John Lewis is aware of the council’s ambitions for this area of Southampton. Although we have no current plans to move our distribution site, we will continue to work closely with the council as the development progresses. Any decision about our distribution site would not affect our shop at WestQuay.”