WINCHESTER City Council is right to put its foot down over Silver Hill.

TH Real Estate (THRE) has had chances to deliver the regeneration it promised for the city centre. Giving it another one when its position changes so regularly would be irresponsible.

But the path to a new scheme will be extremely difficult, especially if the council chooses to build without a partner.

Acquiring the land and means to build will be expensive, complicated and time consuming. There is no guarantee it will deliver a better project and the threat of legal action – from THRE and the Winchester Deserves Better campaign – goes on.

However, taking control of this run-down part of the city would to some extent shelter the council from a construction industry which we have learnt can be ruthless.

Council-led plans to develop Station Approach are in their very early stages, but have so far shown that another way is possible.

One cannot discount the possibility of THRE building the scheme now, perhaps realising that this is the only way to keep its lucrative contract.

Doing so would raise serious questions about their claims that the plans would fail to meet building standards.

But so long as this part of the city centre is restored, Winchester is capable of gritting its teeth through anything.