CAMPAIGNERS could be given fresh ammunition in their legal battle against the Silver Hill scheme if its developer releases fresh financial data.

Civic chiefs are consulting TH Real Estate on releasing key costs after the firm was ordered to publish similar figures for a defunct version of the scheme.

The developer, formerly known as Henderson, was ordered in September to disclose financial details of the defeated 2014 project, which proposed controversial changes to the plans for new shops and homes. Data dumped included the estimated £75 million construction cost.

Now the plans set to go ahead, known as the 2009 scheme, are under fresh scrutiny.

The Winchester Deserves Better campaign hopes the previously secret figures will prove TH Real Estate misled the public.

Conservative rebel Cllr Kim Gottlieb, the pressure group's leader, asked for the data to be published at full council on Wednesday.

Cllr Stephen Godfrey, leader of Winchester City Council, said: “As the information in respect of the 2009 scheme was supplied to the council on a confidential basis, it would be necessary to consult Henderson before releasing any of this information. I have asked officers to consult Henderson accordingly, and (subject to any views Henderson may have), release the equivalent information to that directed to be disclosed by the Information Commissioner for the 2014 scheme.”

TH Real Estate has yet to respond to a request for comment.

In a separate development, Cllr Godfrey said a long-awaited report into the council's handling of the scheme is "not imminent".

Claer Lloyd-Jones' delayed review into how civic chiefs unlawfully kept the £150 million project from commercial tender was originally due in June.

Cllr Godfrey told the meeting: "I understand she continues to receive submissions from councillors, which I am sure she will wish to give careful consideration to. So I would suggest the completion of the report is not imminent."

Cllr Gottlieb, whose victory in the High Court prompted the inquiry, submitted further documents to Ms Lloyd-Jones in August.

Cllr Godfrey said battling Mr Gottlieb's campaign had cost the council more than £500,000. Costs included defending the judicial review, legal advice and hiring extra consultants to verify the development's financial viability.

He added: "Although a proportion of these costs will be reimbursed by the developer and included in the development account, the effect of this will be to reduce the overall profitability of the scheme, and potentially therefore reducing the profit share payable to the council."