A WINCHESTER city councillor has said he is “particularly pleased” to hear applicants for a housing scheme on a “green gap” north of Winchester are ready to give up the land.

The Welch family say they are willing to give the council land to protect the gap between Littleton and Harestock as part of their plans for 45 homes.

Now local ward councillor Cllr James Byrnes said he would welcome the decision to give the land for public use.

In an e-mail to applicant Adam Welch, Cllr Byrnes said: “At both meetings of the planning committee I remarked that if you were offering the land in isolation, without any associated development, I could see no reason the council would not consider acquisition.

“I have always been under the impression that in order to transfer your land to WCC you would first need to obtain planning consent for 45 dwellings and a barn for community use plus associated infrastructure. However, a number of quotes made by your brothers in the Chronicle article of September 8 have suggested my impression has been wrong.

“I know that the local community will be glad to have an opportunity to protect the local gap from development and realise full public access to a substantial part of it, and I am particularly pleased that you now seem prepared to make this gesture without leveraging a development at the same time.”

Mr Welch has not yet replied to the e-mail.