A HEALTHCARE firm given exclusive rights to develop on a council car park will put its plans for a 14-storey apartment tower and medical centre to the test tomorrow.

CareCapital wants to build a landmark 44-metre high tower of 119 apartments, dubbed the City Gateway project, over the Parkville car park in Swaythling, Southampton.

The scheme includes 67 one bedroom, 42 two-bedroom and 11 studio flats, shops and a medical centre for the expansion of the Stoneham Lane Surgery.

It will provide 97 underground parking spaces for residents and staff, and ground level parking for customers.

The complex, on the junction of Stoneham Way and Thomas Lewis Way, would be the first thing seen by motorists entering the city from junction five of the M27.

Residents are largely backing the plans with 28 letters and a 513-signature petition in support of the development which was well received at a public exhibition held in December.

Yet some worry that the tower is too high and "alien" to the area, while not including enough family homes.

There are also concerns over how surrounding roads will cope with the extra traffic and that new shops will harm existing trade.

Twelve letters of objection were submitted to planners.

The city council's own tree officer has also objected to the felling of 24 trees, with seven worthy of protection, to make way for the development.

But planners say a two-for-one replacement scheme is an acceptable compromise and ruled a smaller scheme would not raise enough cash to offset the costs of the medical centre.

If councillors refuse to give planning consent CareCapital will face a race against time to come up with an alternative.

In January it was given nine months to develop a workable project before the council listened to offers from other developers.

CareCapital had approached the council for the plot after failing to find a stand-alone site.

The 66-space car park also includes a housing office and youth club, known to locals as the "graffiti building".

The council says that the housing office could be relocated at Burgess Road library, while options for alternative youth venues are being worked on.

If approved work on the Gateway development is expected to last until 2010.