MORE than 500 students - but nowhere to park cars. Angry residents say proposals to build a 13-storey student tower block near their homes will create traffic chaos.

At a special open meeting, more than 20 residents turned out to view the plans for the tower block in St Mary's Road, St Mary's, Southampton - which will only have two parking spaces for residents.

Southampton City Council wants to sell the derelict Co-op site to student accommodation providers Unite. This will raise cash for a refurbishment of St Mary's Leisure Centre across the road.

Both sites would become part of a state-of-the-art Healthy Living Centre, which has been planned since 1997.

The scheme came under fire from residents, who fear that their streets, already restricted by permit parking, would become traffic-logged.

One resident told the meeting: "It's fine to say it's a no-parking scheme, but how will you know if students come with cars later? They will be looking for places around here to park their vehicles."

Another added: "It's dangling the carrot again. We're told that we're finally going to have this Healthy Living Centre but only if this tower block is built."

James Childs, regional design manager with Unite, said: "They won't be able to apply for residents' permits. You shouldn't have a concern about parking."

Mr Childs said the block would have 552 bed spaces, but only two parking spaces. There would be 23 parking spaces for the Healthy Living Centre's three doctors' surgeries, four dental suites and seven Primary Care Trust consulting rooms on the ground floor of the tower.

Jane Pearson, from Southampton City Council, added: "We're trying to tackle an area with a high number of health problems. The only way that the council and the PCT can afford to do this wonderful thing at St Mary's is by selling this site. We feel that student housing is the only really viable form of development for that site."

Plans for the tower could be considered by planners in December.