DEVELOPERS have said that a scheme to build more than 200 homes in Winchester that had stalled will restart within days.

David Gilchrist, development director at Berkeley Homes, has told the Chronicle that they were on target to start works on the site of the former police headquarters in Romsey Road in the next week.

It is envisioned that the scheme will take three-and-a-half years to build depending on market conditions and should be finished in the summer of 2021.

Mr Gilchrist said: “Construction has been delayed due to Berkeley making some amendments to the scheme and the submission of information to discharge planning conditions.”

Despite the six-month delay, Winchester City Council has said that it will not impact the council’s aim to build 600 new council homes by 2020, despite the Romsey Road development including a large amount of social and affordable housing.

Winchester City Council leader and portfolio holder for housing Cllr Caroline Horrill said: “Progression upon the Berkeley Homes site in Romsey Road will not impact the council’s ambition to build 600 homes by 2020 as the section 106 housing [agreement] is being developed by a registered provider rather than the council.

“There was an agreed planning permission but the developer asked for a variation which has incurred a slight delay to the project. However we can confirm that this still includes the provision of the previously agreed 40 per cent of affordable housing.”

Last summer, a meeting of Winchester City Council heard that the redevelopment of the old police headquarters had “stalled”.

Cllr Lucille Thompson said: “Nothing is happening there in spite of hoardings saying the launch would be in April. Now they have changed the hoardings.

“There is no work going on. Rumours are circulating locally as to what is happening.”

As previously reported, the Berkeley Homes scheme has seen the force’s former West Hill base which stood for more than 50 years, demolished, and replaced with a development of 208 new homes comprising flats and townhouses.

The scheme, which also include an underground car park and path for bikes and pedestrians, was approved by planners in February 2016.

Demolition work on the seven-storey building began in December 2016.

In February last year, a source told the Hampshire Chronicle that the scheme may have been delayed due to Brexit, which Berkeley Homes denied at the time.

A saleswoman at Berkeley Homes at the time said: “The plans are still being amended, we are not due to launch the site until summer of next year.”