SEEDA's Head of Land and Property (West), Ken Glendinning said: 'We are delighted to be working with Brown and Mason.

The company's guiding principles on environmental awareness and track record of similar schemes were a key factor in its selection.

Brown and Mason hold an outstanding safety record, and is one of only 40 companies worldwide to have achieved the prestigious safety award, The Sword of Honour, by the British Safety Council.'

In consultation with Southampton City Council, English Nature and the Environment Agency, SEEDA and English Partnerships have voluntarily produced a Demolition Environmental Protection Plan that will minimise the impact on the nearby community and wildlife, whilst the contract is undertaken.

Work will begin on site this month with the removal of existing buildings. Nearly all the buildings will be removed although a few key structures will be re-used. Every endeavour is being made to re-cycle 6,500 tonnes of steel and cladding material from the site.

Another example of recycling includes the salvaging of two 32 tonne gantry cranes, previously used by the VT Group for their shipbuilding operations.

The cranes will be dismantled and transported by barge to a second major regeneration site, Cowes Waterfront on the Isle of Wight - Venture Quays, which SEEDA and English Partnerships have acquired at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

There, the cranes will be used by facilitate marine businesses that have relocated to Venture Quays. A further 6,500 tonnes of steel and cladding will also be reclaimed and removed from the site, which is due to be redeveloped for a variety of marine uses.