NEW homes could be developed on the same site where a controversial plan for 50 homes near Winchester was withdrawn by developers.

The Chronicle, has learnt that Winchester City Council is in talks to develop Top Field in Kings Worthy.

The news comes a year after landowner's Drew Smith's plan for 57 houses off Hookpit Farm Lane was refused by Winchester City Council and hopes for preserving some of the land as a village green were dashed by county council chiefs.

Hampshire county councillors refused two applications for the registration of land as a town or village green following an inquiry by Morag Ellis QC, last September and October.

A controversial plan has already been approved for 25 homes, but developer Drew Smith has withdrawn from the site.

Currently the city council are looking at taking the 25 homes as "rural exceptions", but admitted they could potentially do more with the site, depending on the position of Drew Smith which has recently been taken over by Galliford Try.

Sandie Evans, secretary of the Top Field Action Group, said: "We were aware about Drew Smith being bought. We suspect there is something going on. Whatever they do we will fight it. We will continue the fight for Top Field."

Andrew Palmer, head of new homes at the city council, confirmed it is in negotiations about the site: "Yes, at the moment there is an outline planning consent for 25 affordable units on Top Field, that was granted a year ago but nothing happened because there was a village green application.

"That was secured, there is a consent that can be implemented; we are in discussions with Drew Smith that own the site about developing it.

"We are in negotiations with them, we want to see their aspirations for the site, and depending on what they can do we can discuss then with the parish council about it."

The Chronicle also understands there was a confidential meeting between the city council and Kings Worthy Parish Council.

The three Liberal Democrat councillors for the Worthys, Malcolm Prince, Jackie Porter and Jane Rutter, who attended the meeting all refused to talk about what was discussed.

City councillor Ian Tait said: "The council should be promoting council estates, we should be building new council estates. I think we need to build modern day council estates and we need a step change in the affordable housing market we need to build a new Abbotts Barton, a new Weeke, a new Winnall.

"I am saying to people we need a new Barton Farm. If people round Top Field think that it has gone away there's another thing coming to them."

Councillor for the Worthys ward, Malcolm Prince said there had been a confidential meeting between the city council and Kings Worthy Parish Council.

But said there is "nothing new" in the public arena, but said the first priority at Top Field is getting the footpaths promised, and said any new homes need to have the correct infrastructure.

Cllr Prince said: "The infrastructure has to be correct to accommodate housing, the school in Kings Worthy is overflowing and has been extended and the road past Tesco is an issue and flooding is an issue."

In a later statement Mr Palmer said: “The Top Field site encompasses a large area and the developers are keen to explore the opportunities around housing and community open space in the area beyond the land earmarked for the 25 affordable homes. The city council is discussing this with Drew Smith with a view to feeding back to the parish council, a local consultation will then take place to decide on the future of the site.”