Land Rover's output at its Halewood plant in Merseyside could double over the next four years if plans to develop a new model are given the green light.

According to Autocar magazine, the seven-seat Ventura, similar to the Freelander, could boost production to 210,000 vehicles a year.

Earlier this month, Indian conglomerate Tata completed the buy-out of Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford in a deal worth £1.15 billion.

The deal incorporated both car brands, intellectual property rights and factories, which means Tata is now the employer of around 2,000 people in Merseyside.

A spokeswoman for Land Rover told The Liverpool Daily Post that the car manufacturer is looking at "boosting the product line-up".

"That may include a seven-seater. That may include a small vehicle like the LRX. But that's all we can say," she commented.

The Halewood plant currently builds the Land Rover Freelander 2, as well as the Jaguar X-Type.