THAT a developer is planning a project that could bring 750 jobs to Southampton, as the Daily Echo reports today on page 4, is something everybody should welcome.

We are not yet so far out of the economic woods that we can afford to turn away plans of this type.

The site is on the edge of the city and alongside a motorway – seemingly an ideal place for a warehouse and office complex not dissimilar from other businesses along the same road.

The one sticking point is that the industrial development would be a lot closer to homes.

Understandably residents in Redbridge fear an increase in traffic along their roads and the loss of green space.

It is vital that these concerns are taken seriously by the developers, who are making all the right noises, including pledges that the development will include a public park and staging two public exhibitions of their plans this week.

Unfortunately one of those will take place several miles away in Coxford, which has left many baffled.

Despite that hiccup, the developers deserve the chance to put their case.

Most importantly it confirms Southampton’s status as a place where people want to do business – and that is vital to our future prosperity.