CIVIC chiefs have rubbished claims by anti-Silver Hill campaigners that nationally significant relics could be destroyed if extra archaeological experts are not brought in.

Cllr Kim Gottlieb has threatened further legal action against Winchester City Council if it allows excavation to begin without an independent report into what lies beneath the site.

But councillors defended the professionalism of their officers as they snubbed a call for more advice and agreed to boost their workforce.

Extensive Roman and Medieval archaeology is thought to be buried under the five-acre plot, due to be developed as shops, flats and parking in the city centre.

At cabinet on Wednesday, corporate director Steve Tilbury cited a letter from English Heritage stating they were satisfied with the approach of the council and developer TH Real Estate.

The council says detailed requirements were set out during the planning process and developer TH Real Estate's investigations will be overseen by Historic England and Guildhall officers. The council will also hire short-term staff to cope with the extra workload of excavating a major heritage site.

Cllr Jan Warwick, joining criticism from fellow Conservative councillors Rose Burns and Cllr Gottlieb, called for the independent report at Council in July.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the three said: "At the moment we are talking about unknown mitigation measures for unknown archaeology. Whatever planning policy might say, relying on the developer is naïve and unrealistic from the perspective of preserving important archaeology likely to be extensively spread over the site.

"The council should be primarily concerned about what’s in the national interest, rather in the interest of the developer."

Cllr Gottlieb added: "Instead of carefully managing the process itself, the council has delegated that responsibility to a developer that doesn’t have the ability, let alone the incentive, to change the scheme."

In a briefing paper, corporate director Steve Tilbury denied the council's approach was "unusual or deficient".

The issue returns to Council at its meeting on October 21.