THIS is the new look for the development dubbed the French Quarter planned to rise on the site of the old Habitat building in the city centre.

Following comments from English Heritage developers have agreed to remove one storey from part of the four blocks of flats as well as some balconies.

But the overall number of apartments has actually increased, from 183 to 188, thanks to a reduction in the size of some flats and a redesign of the building's corridors and stairwells.

Top floor apartments have also been set back to reduce the scale of the building, which is on the High Street and Castle Way. It includes sheltered accommodation for the elderly and affordable housing.

The Linden Braemore development also reopens an alley called Brewer House Lane, which ran between the two streets until shortly after the Second World War.

Other amendments include an increase in cycle parking, the inclusion of more disabled parking spaces and the use of more varied materials in the design.

Michael O'Brien, of Linden Homes, said: "We have spent the past five months talking to both the council and local residents about scheme, and have used these comments to amend our proposal.

"We have redesigned the innards of the building and used the communal areas to better effect. It would be wrong to say the flats are not smaller. They are by a degree."

He explained the thinking behind the development's name.

"It is a name we have come up with because our proposals are to take the architectural form of that area back a couple of centuries in terms of the road layout and the way the buildings are set on the site. There is also French Street nearby, so it seemed appropriate," he said.

"This site affords a real opportunity to breathe life back into this neglected area of Southampton city centre."

For more information or to make a comment contact the firm's free information line on 0800 2987040.