COUNCILLORS will today decide on whether to implement measures to stop development on a Winchester beauty spot.

As previously reported, the Water Garden, which backs onto Winchester Cathedral, was sold for more than £100,000 earlier this year amid fears that it may be redeveloped.

Concerns were first raised about the site – which has been labelled as an informal tourist attraction and features a picturesque garden with a stream running through it – when the Colebrook Street site was put up for sale in December.

The listing by Winchester estate agents Belgarum said “there may be future development potential”, sparking anger among some residents.

Now, according to a report due to go before Winchester City Council’s planning committee today, those concerns have resurfaced after a proposal to build a single-storey dwelling on the site were discussed at a meeting in April.

As a result, Winchester City Council is seeking to put a tree protection order on the site as the trees “are of sufficient public benefit and public visual amenity value to be protected”, which would, in effect, stop any development.

The proposal will be heard by the planning committee after an objection was lodged on behalf of the Water Garden’s owner, understood to be a consortium including Hampshire Ukip leader Alan Stone.

According to the council report: “The objector states that in his opinion there is nothing about either of the trees to suggest the removal of the trees would have a negative effect on the local environment.

“He considers that it is not expedient to serve the TPO as the trees are not under immediate threat.

“The objector states that pruning work is now needed to address the abrasion of the adjacent building by branches from the trees and the implementation of this work structurally compromises the trees and therefore the trees would not meet the criteria for protection by a TPO.”

Speaking to the Chronicle, Mr Stone said that the garden could not be built on anyway as it is protected, and wants to carry out work on the tree so the venue could be used to hold functions.

He said: “What’s the point of having something that beautiful and building on it. We have a nice block of land, we want to do something with it.”

Asked about calls for it be kept a tourist site, Mr Stone added: “If the council wanted to to buy it, they had the opportunity.”

The claim that the site would not be built on was welcomed by the owner of the Wolvesey View B&B in nearby Colebrook Place, John Holder. He said: “If the owner is not planning to build in the garden that is good news.

“I would welcome the possibility of some functions taking place there. It could be magical to see the water garden come to life lit up for a small summer party.”

Prior to February, the land had been owned by Lady Barbara Calcutt, the widow of Sir David Calcutt, before she died. It was then passed onto her executor who sold it on.