The Silver Hill scheme has confused civic chiefs' approach to affordable housing, councillor tells colleagues

Cllr Ian Tait, former housing chief at Winchester City Council, suggested controversy over cut-rate homes in the Silver Hill development had muddled the bigger picture across the district.

He told Winchester Town Forum, a meeting of urban ward councillors: "We are still, rightly or wrongly, in the throes of the Silver Hill scheme.

"It means a lack of understanding of what affordable housing we need, the configuration and where it should go."

Cllr Tait, who argued against discount flats on the Silver Hill site in favour of family houses in the suburbs, added: "I don't think there's any political leadership in terms of this forum standing up as a body saying what we want to achieve."

Councillors also debated taking stronger views on major projects like Silver Hill and River Park Leisure Centre.

Cllr Rose Burns said the forum should have similar powers to parish councils to advise on major projects, while Cllrs Jamie Scott and Dominic Hiscock called for more public meetings.

Corporate director Steve Tilbury said major projects were handled by cabinet, which cannot always refer issues to the town forum.

But councillors are free to invite police, firefighters and other services to address them on issues of public interest, he added.