WINCHESTER civic chiefs blundered over a proposed development for the elderly on a city car park.

Cllr Robert Sanders said the council made errors in briefing architects over the Extra care scheme proposed for the Chesil Street car park.

He told the overview and scrutiny committee on Monday that the original architects’ brief took no account of the site being in a conservation area. The scheme was for a five-storey “shed.”

“We realised we had made a mistake in not briefing the architects properly and we will be going back to the drawing board in that respect,” he said.

Cllr Victoria Weston, portfolio holder for built environment, said the proposal had been scaled back from 58 flats to 52.

She said the city’s conservation watchdogs were backing the plans. “The City of Winchester Trust is happy with the design. That is a step in the right direction.”

The committee heard that the council believes it is making good progress in tackling the shortage of affordable homes in the district.

Nearly 200 new homes are in the pipeline, said Cllr Ian Tait, portfolio holder for housing services.

Eighty will be built at the 200-home scheme at Pitt Manor; 52 are earmarked for the Extra Care scheme for the elderly proposed at Chesil Street; 27 at Victoria House in Hyde; 21 on the site of the New Queens Head in Stanmore and 12 at Westman Road in Weeke.

Cllr Tait told the overview and scrutiny committee that a planning application for the Chesil Street site was expected within the next month.

Rent arrears are also falling as the council aims for early intervention for people struggling to make payments.

Meanwhile a report is due to go to cabinet in December into the future of the City Offices on Colebrook Street.