CHILDREN in Winchester have been busy drawing up plans for their vision of the industrial part of the city.

Winnall Primary School pupils spent weeks producing colourful posters of the future of Winnall which were on display at a jamboree event on Thursday (Jan 29).

They were joined by local organisations such as Firefly Theatre, Integr8 Dance and Youth Options to put on an activity day giving residents the chance to take part in a discussion about the area.

Winchester City Council have joined forces with the county council to commission a study of the northern end of the city to assess traffic, parking, housing and green space, and forms part of the city’s Local Plan.

Design firm Parsons Brinckerhoff held their first consultation at Basepoint on Thursday morning welcoming local business owners to talk about ways to revamp the area including urban design and economic development.

City council deputy leader and portfolio holder for built environment, Cllr Vicki Weston, said: “Every neighbourhood has its challenges and its opportunities. Sometimes, long-term solutions need to be identified to manage these.

“This study will lead to a Planning Framework, a ten-year plan that will inform decisions about policy, funding and service priorities for both Councils and that will help to make Winnall an even better neighbourhood for those who live or work there.”

Hampshire Chronicle:

Steve Brine MP with Nigel Green and Cllr Fiona Mather

Winchester and Chandler's Ford MP Steve Brine said: “I remember a similar exercise a few years ago in Stanmore and I hope this leads to a greater level of community involvement for Winnall. All credit to the city council for making this happen.

“We've made some huge advances in recent months for the area, from resurfacing of the motorway to a new £200m scheme for junction 9, but there's so much outstanding and parking issues are high on that list for residents and businesses.”