12:56pm Tuesday 29th January 2008
By Peter Law
Click here to see images of the plans.
THE proposed multi-million-pound Southampton Heritage Centre will put the city back on the map, tourist chiefs believe.
As exclusively revealed by the Daily Echo yesterday, plans have been drawn up to transform the west wing of Southampton's iconic Civic Centre into a museum celebrating the city's history.
A three-storey glass extension at the north-west wing of the home of the city council - built across reclaimed park land - is the centrepiece of the ambitious vision.
Council leisure chiefs are desperate for the heritage centre to open in time to host a major exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster in 2012.
They hope the centre - which will also feature exhibitions ranging from the Second World War to the cruise industry - will give Southampton an attraction to rival Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard.
Nigel Smith, Tourism South East commercial services director, said: "This would be the premier tourist attraction in Southampton and it would be a real boost for the city and the region as a whole.
"The Civic Centre is already an iconic building so it makes sense to build around it. By combining the city's culture and heritage offering in one area, Southampton will be up there with cities like Manchester and Newcastle that have enjoyed success in recent years.
"By aiming for 2012, not only will the opening of the heritage centre tie in with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking but we've also got the London Olympics, so there will be a lot of focus on this region."
The Daily Echo can reveal the council plans to reopen talks with the American company behind the Titanic artefacts exhibition which has toured the world but never visited Southampton.
Negotiations previously collapsed as Southampton has never had a venue large enough to host the show.
Councillor John Hannides, Cabinet member for leisure and culture, said: "What we're looking to do is to have an offering that will ensure that visitors from across the world in 2012 looking to take part in the Titanic centenary will come to Southampton as their first port of call."
Steve Rigby, from the British Titanic Society, said enthusiasts from across the world would descend on Southampton to visit the centenary exhibition.
"There is so much interest in the Titanic, it was a truly international disaster.'' The plans can only go ahead with the consent of English Heritage - which protects historic buildings - as the Civic Centre is a Grade II listed building. An application for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to finance the majority of the development will be made in September.
Click links below to see the proposals
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