Major £100m project on course (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Silver Hill Renaissance to transform part of Winchester is on track

10:57am Saturday 19th December 2009 in Silver Hill By Warwick Payne

THE Silver Hill Renaissance is still on course while other flagship projects are floundering, Winchester City Council chiefs were told.

Its cabinet heard a report on the £100m scheme's progress, which will transform the eastern end of central Winchester.

The project could deliver around 270 homes, a new bus station and more than 30 shops between The Broadway and Friarsgate.

Thornfield Properties is the company behind the scheme, and had paid all the fees connected with it so far.

The only exception was £34,000 of legal costs, which the council was picking up, the cabinet heard.

The next hurdle will be launching a compulsory purchase order to bring together all of the land needed for the scheme.

Rival landowner, London and Henley, which owns part of the site and has its own proposals for the area, has not agreed to sell.

The compulsory purchase order will be launched in February 2010, with an inquiry expected in September 2010 and a decision by May 2011.

If approved, the land could change hands in late 2011 and work could start in summer 2012, the cabinet heard.

Cllr George Beckett, who leads the council, said many projects like the Silver Hill Renaissance had stalled or been abandoned in the recession.

However, the £100m scheme in Winchester was still going forwards, he added.