A CAMPAIGN to stop the Silver Hill scheme in Winchester has suffered a legal blow.

A High Court Judge has refused permission for a judicial review against Winchester City Council.

The action was brought by city councillor Kim Gottlieb who says the £150 million scheme for homes and shops will wreck the city centre.

The developer Henderson has submitted a new planning application to amend the scheme by dropping the bus station and 100 units of social housing.

Cllr Gottlieb, who has formed Winchester Deserves Better, challenged the city council’s decision in August to agree to allow Henderson to propose changes to the redevelopment.

The challenge alleged that the council should not have agreed to the changes, and also raised issues about the value the council was obtaining for land which the council owns within the scheme.

The judge concluded that the development agreement with Henderson provided for alterations to the scheme, and that the council had taken professional valuation advice on its land interests. Accordingly, he refused permission for the challenge.

The court ordered Cllr Gottlieb, himself a property developer, to pay costs of £7,500 to the council.

Cllr Gottlieb has until October 15 to ask for this decision to be reconsidered by the High Court.