IT is the landmark decision which has been 18 years in the making.

Winchester city centre is one step closer to its biggest development in living memory after civic chiefs approved controversial changes to the £165 million Silver Hill scheme.

Five acres of the city centre are set to be demolished and replaced by new shops, homes, bus stops and car parks under the plans.

Around 100 people were in the Guildhall for Thursday's special planning committee, which heard pleas from residents and input from key figures during the saga.

Major redevelopment of Silver Hill – contentious from its beginnings in the 1990s – was first approved in 2009.

But developer Henderson sparked fresh controversy this summer when it dropped affordable housing from the scheme, replacing a bus station with an on-street interchange.

Business leaders, developers and heritage trustees said the city has always moved with the times and renewal of the run-down area is overdue.

Paul Appleton, an architect who helped design the scheme, said: “Silver Hill has now become a place that has variety, diversity and dignity.

"[The scheme] will make the city able to go properly into the 21st century. It comes right from my heart."

Hampshire Chronicle:

The audience at Thursday's planning committee

Leading opponent Cllr Kim Gottlieb, said: "This city, this location, deserves beauty and inspiration. The scheme as shown will shame us.

"The architecture is simply not good enough for the centre of the ancient capital and the birthplace of England.”

The committee unanimously approved Henderson’s plans after eight hours of debate, but the scheme is on hold until the results of a legal challenge against the council.

Cllr Gottlieb is taking civic chiefs to judicial review next month to argue that they broke European law by allowing Henderson to drop affordable housing and a bus station from their plans.

And a second legal offensive is in the pipeline against what Cllr Gottlieb calls an “improper” planning process.

Cllr Rob Humby, leader of Winchester City Council, said after the meeting: "I'm pleased that after 18 years of this, we've finally got to a decision where we can go forward."

He added that the council is "confident" of rebutting any legal challenge by Cllr Gottlieb.

Click here to view the Chronicle's live updates from throughout the meeting.