A large student housing tower could be built on an unused private car park in Southampton city centre.

Developer Knightspur Homes Ltd has submitted plans for the 20-storey building on land to the rear of 4-8 Millbrook Road East.

The block would provide 170 ensuite student studio rooms, with a sky lounge on the top floor.

The development would deliver a building that is “a slender, elegant and well-proportioned silhouette” on a “highly sustainable windfall brownfield site”, according to application documents.

A planning statement prepared by KF Planning Consultancy said: “The building will be an impressive addition to the city skyline and the arrival into Southampton, providing high-quality student accommodation with excellent facilities including a top floor sky lounge amenity space with impressive views over Southampton.”

Knightspur Homes secured permission for a six-storey building for residential and office use in September 2019.

This proposal, known as Seaview Place, was technically implemented when partial foundation work was carried out three years ago, however, the scheme was “not viable” to progress.

The planning statement said there had been “significant changes” in circumstances since the previous consent was granted.

“In particular, there is an acknowledged increased need for purpose-built student accommodation in the city following growth of the universities,” the planning statement said.

“Further, and of relevance specifically to the application site, the council has subsequently approved a 20-storey tower at Nelson Gate, which is located to the east of the application site.”

Knightspur Homes’s development site is next to Southbrook Rise, a former office block which was converted into 84 flats eight years ago.

A design and access statement written by Boyle & Summers said the application land was an unused car park which had been vacant for 10 years since the applicant purchased the site.

“The development will be run and managed by a private student accommodation provider to support the residential requirements of students attending the University of Southampton, Solent University and Southampton General Hospital,” the design and access statement added.

The scheme would be car-free, with one accessible space and one operational staff space, which would also be used for student drop-offs.

Residents can view the proposals and submit comments on the city council’s online planning portal, with the consultation closing on April 3.

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the approved Nelson Gate scheme was deemed not deliverable by the site’s leaseholders.

The council recently approved a new long-term lease for Nelson Gate.

Alternative proposals, which would require planning permission, are currently being considered for the site.

Meanwhile, a proposal for a 707-bed student accommodation scheme nearby in Commercial Road has been submitted to the local authority’s planning department by Moda Living.