AN ambitious vision to restore Southampton’s old docks to their glory days has been unveiled by the city’s heritage champions.

Proponents say it will be like stepping back in time to Southampton in the 1920s or 30s, when the docks were filled with passenger liners.

Restored trams ferrying passengers in and out of the docks and historic vessels moored at the quayside are just two of the attractions proposed by the Southampton Heritage Federation.

It is the second proposed waterfront development to be revealed, after the Daily Echo reported on plans for a 10,000- seat arena at Royal Pier and Mayflower Park.

Port bosses ABP have offered the federation a three-year licence to develop the waterfront site, which lies directly behind the £19m Ocean Terminal in the Eastern Docks, into a maritime heritage attraction.

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It is hoped the yet-to-be-named attraction will be popular both with residents and the thousands of passengers that will pass through the city’s fourth cruise terminal, which opened earlier this month.

Southampton City Council, which has already given its backing to the project, and the Heritage Lottery Fund, will both be approached to help fund the scheme. Future development funding for the Royal Pier project could also be tapped into.

Solent Sky curator Alan Jones, a member of the federation, revealed plans to link the attraction to any future development at Royal Pier via a restored tram line running along the quay.

As previously reported by the Echo, engineering experts at the University of Southampton have been asked by the council to see if the city’s existing tram tracks could be brought back into operation.

In the short term,work will begin on redeveloping the abandoned Trafalgar dry dock, while historic vessels such as the restored tug tender Calshot will be permanently moored at berths 50 and 51.

A 104-year-old pump house, which once opened the dock’s enormous gates, could also be restored to its former glory, though is likely to remain out of working order.

Mr Jones said ABP’s commitment to the project gave him confidence it would succeed where other heritage schemes had failed in the past.

“My vision is that you will feel like you have stepped back in time more than 70 years. It is not just part of the port, but a historically important site,” he said.

Plans for a state-of the-art arena at Royal Pier – which could also include a convention centre, casino and observation tower – are to be unveiled at the Southampton Boat Show in September.

They have been drawn up by Scottish-based developers Kilmartin, who were last July awarded an 18-month exclusivity contract to create a masterplan for the waterfront.

Restaurateur Kuti Miah’s Thai eatery in the Royal Pavilion will remain unaffected and it is hoped the proposed 180ft tribute to the Spitfire will also be incorporated at Town Quay.