CIVIC chiefs have signed off the masterplan for the redevelopment of Station Approach, with £5 million of support from the external funding provisionally agreed.

The plans, set to go on display later this week, outline how Winchester City Council aims to build 13,000 square metres of high-quality office space that will provide the council with income in the area next to the city’s railway station.

It also aims to to provide more car parking and improve traffic flow for vehicles and pedestrians.

The scheme, which is still in the early phases, is the second attempt by the council to develop the area.

The first scheme collapsed in 2016 after city councillors voted against the architect’s proposals. Design of the £150 million project will now be carried out by architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, who were appointed last September.

On Tuesday the council cabinet (Station Approach) committee discussed the masterplan and public realm strategy for the area that stretches from Gladstone Street to the cattle market car park and Andover Road.

A council report approved at the meeting said: “Securing the high-quality public realm across the Station Approach area is an important objective.”

The meeting heard that £5m of funding through the M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) had been provisionally approved for the project.

Cllr Eleanor Bell said: “I feel very impressed. It’s on its way and a very good plan.”

As well as the master plan, councillors unanimously agreed that quality would be the most important factor in the tendering process, which would have a weighting of 70 per cent. The remaining 30 per cent would be judged on cost.

A programme of public engagement was also approved. Drop-in exhibitions will be held at the Hampshire Record Office on Sussex Street on March 3 between 11am-3pm, and March 7 between 4pm and 7pm.

Councillors will also be taking the plans on the road, with exhibitions planned at the Swan Hotel in Alresford on March 17, between 10am and 12pm, and at King’s Church in Bishop’s Waltham on March 17 from 3pm to 5pm.

Stakeholders have been invited to workshops on March 5.