A bid for permission to operate a car park for cruise passengers in Southampton have been approved.

Passengers have been leaving their cars at the site on Wharf Road in Woolston before being taken to and from the port in a park-and-ride service since April last year.

Although the 250-space car park is already in operation, Southampton City Council received a retrospective application for the car park in November 2023.

Marchwood-based Oceanic (Woolston) Ltd submitted the application on behalf of Airlynx Southampton, which formerly used land at Marine Parade.

READ MORE: Bid to keep using Woolston site as car park for cruise passengers

A statement from the applicant submitted alongside the application said: “Our business seeks to offer short and long-term parking for passengers accessing the cruise ships that operate from the Port of Southampton.

"The location enables customers to avoid the city centre on arrival and departure.

"We have carried out surveys which show the majority of customers approach the facility from the M27 junctions to the east, which ensures these vehicles don't enter the city”.

READ MORE: All the cruise ships sailing into Southampton this week

The statement says passengers are also urged to head east to the M27, avoiding the Itchen Bridge, when driving out of Woolston after their cruise.

It adds: "Our staff are on-site to open up in the morning and secure the site at the end of the day.

"Once customers have parked their vehicles we operate a park-and-ride service to transfer them to the port. Similarly, we offer a shuttle service to return them to their vehicles at the end of their cruise.

"Our busy period runs between April to November when we expect to accommodate approximately 500 cars in and out every week.

"We understand an issue was raised in regard to dust in the car park.

"This has been lessened by the use of a water bowser to dampen down the car park during extremely hot weather. We also have plans for a more permanent surface, should we receive planning permission."

An objector to the application said cars and coaches were going in and out of the site "at all hours".

The application was approved on July 3.