Will this building turn heads in Southampton?

Rising above the heart of the city the eight-storey office block is part of a £70m scheme including a 180 apartment block and hotel that will go before planners on Tuesday.

Its curved glass façade will provide the corner of Havelock Road and Commercial Road with an eye-catching design.

Developers Terrace Hill hope the building, at Mayflower Plaza, will become the headquarters for a major firm and estimates its development will attract at least 650 new jobs to the city.

Development executive Richard Myers from Terrace Hill claimed: "I would say it will be the most striking building in Southampton."

City planners, who have recommended planning approval, have called it "unashamedly modern" and say the proposals will result in a "dramatic change to the city centre both in terms of important views across the city and its skyline".

The rest of the scheme comprises a nine-storey 150-bed hotel with restaurant planned behind the offices along Commercial Road. Mr Myers said advanced exclusive negotiations are under way with a major chain to run it.

A 15-storey block of flats containing 180 homes, including 82 one-bed, 72 two-bed and 24 studio apartments, would also be built off West Park Road.

There will be basement parking for 115 cars - 63 will be for residents - accessed from West Park Road.

Three letters of objection were made to the council opposing the height and size of the development, the amount of parking and lack of play space for children.

The council's own conservation officer was also concerned the dominant buildings, up to 52m high, would detract from views of the nearby Civic Centre and its 48m high clock tower