STUDENT artists have been given a chance to have their say about how one of the most important town centre redevelopment sites in the south should look.

Eastleigh council has already unveiled a draft blueprint of how it thinks hundreds of new homes should be accommodated on the Pirelli General site.

But the scheme is set to be the subject of a huge public consultation exercise - and three teenagers have already drawn up their ideas on how the development that will change the face of Eastleigh should look.

Now, Eastleigh Millennium Volunteers Robert Jewitt, 17, Liane McCarthy, 16, and Claire Kennedy, 17, are hoping their work will help inspire the architects, developers and planners involved in the Pirelli development.

Working under the guidance of artist Caroline Rackham, the millennium volunteers have mapped out how they see the future with ideas for community buildings, shops, parks and houses.

Their ideas will go on show in the town's Swan Centre during a staffed exhibition running from July 16 to 21 to get the public consultation exercise under way and will also be forwarded to architects and the developers.

Caroline Rackham said she thought it was ideal to get young people involved and added: "These are the people who will have the longest benefit from the ideas they come up with."

Although there is no guarantee that the youngsters' concepts will be incorporated in the scheme, it is hoped some elements may be used. Liane McCarthy from Chandler's Ford included a cinema, street lights designed as flowers and lots of ideas based on a rural theme were put in to her design.

She said: "It's like bringing nature to the town. I thought Eastleigh was an industrial town and I would bring in natural shapes to soften the image."

Millennium Volunteers is a national scheme supporting 16- to 24-year-olds to become involved in volunteering.