ANGRY residents are preparing to protest over plans for a giant multi-storey car park which would tower above a Southampton school.

They fear it will bring increased traffic pollution and congestion.

The peaceful protest will take place this afternoon outside the Student Services Centre, University Road, to oppose the proposed four-deck car park for 714 vehicles which would loom over Swaythling Primary School.

Residents will protest from 4pm.

Critics of the controversial application, by the University of Southampton, to build on its existing Hampton Car Park, claim the scheme runs counter to the city’s Green Charter, which aims to reduce air pollution and deter car use.

Others believe it will attract more traffic to the area around the school causing congestion.

As previously reported in the Echo, the application was labelled by an environmentalist as “old-fashioned” when most cities are trying to reduce their car emissions.

The university website states its plans for Hampton Car Park would allow them to relocate existing parking to allow the north-east corner of Highfield Campus to be developed.

Chris Buckle, 35, who lives on Mayfield Road, said: “I have got a lot of respect for the university, but this plan stinks of growing too fast at the cost of our community and the 208 children at Swaythling Primary School.”

Chris’s wife, Claire, said: “I do not see how they can justify a multi-storey car park. The impact on the children’s health should have been the first consideration with the planning application.”

Another Mayfield resident said: “They are affecting the future generations and that is completely out of order.

“My concern is the increase of traffic on the roads. We see cars booming down this road and have had four or five accidents in the area.”

Councillor Spiros Vassiliou, who represents Swaythling on the city council, previously told the Echo there were real concerns from residents about the building overlooking children in the school.

Residents are also concerned about the exhaust fumes from 150 vans, belonging to contractors working the university, parking at the end of at the end of the Hampton car park, which backs onto Swaythling Primary School,

Gary Carr, a 37-year-old who worked for the university as contractor, said: “Something different needs to be done because they are way too close to the school. They need to move the vans ten to 15 metres from the school so they aren’t pumping fumes into the school.”