A HEALTHCARE firm has been given exclusive rights by Southampton City Council to develop a 15-storey tower of apartments and a medical centre.

CareCapital will get nine months to work up its proposals to redevelop a 53-space council car park site in Swaythling.

It plans to build a landmark tower of 119 apartments, shops and a medical centre for the expansion of the Stoneham Lane doctors' practice. The proposal features 76 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 in Swaythling, would be the first thing seen by motorists entering the city from junction five of the M27.

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

Councillor Jeremy Moulton, Cabinet member for resources, agreed to a nine-month "lock-out" agreement, when the council will not deal with another developer for the site.

He said: "This is precisely the sort of development we should be doing in the city and I want to see more of it in the future."

The car park site in Parkville Road earmarked for the scheme also includes a housing office and youth club, known to locals as the "graffiti building".

Cllr Moulton said that the housing office could be relocated at Burgess Road library, while options for alternative youth venues are being worked on.

"It's a priority to make sure that there are alternatives provided," he said.

A planning application is expected to be submitted this month. If it is approved, work on the development would last until 2010.

The plans, which went on display at a public exhibition at Stoneham Lane Surgery last month, were well received by local residents.