DEVELOPERS behind Southampton's emerging Charlotte Place hotel have scrapped plans to build 32 apartments on the city centre site.

The 269-bedroom hotel will be the largest in Southampton when it opens next year, at a cost of about £18.5m.

Developers McAleer and Rushe initially wanted to include 5,900 square metres of office space and 32 residential apartments in the project.

But now the firm has submitted revised plans to city planners, dropping the apartments and asking for 3,900 additional square metres of office space.

Minor changes have also been put forward for the elevations of the hotel, which would be 14 storeys high on one side and eight on the other.

Developers have also drawn up plans for revised access and service roads, with additional motorcycle and cycle parking.

The revised proposals, to be discussed by Southampton City Council's planning and rights of way panel today, are set to be approved.

A report stresses the main scheme remains largely unchanged from the original proposals, which were approved in March. No objections have been received.

Building is already well under way on the former car park site. The hotel will be run by Irish firm Jurys Doyle.