BID makes warning over Station Approach High Court case launched by City of Winchester Trust

The City of Winchester Trust has revealed it has sought a judicial review against the granting of planning permission for the development.

Now Winchester Business Improvement District (BID) has publicly commented on the case which threatens to derail the scheme for a second time, following the rejection by city councillors of the first scheme in 2016.

BID director Dr Paul Spencer has written to the Chronicle, saying: "The BID represents over 700 businesses in Winchester city centre, understands fully the environmental issues of the city as well as the importance of protecting the city’s heritage and character and we are also a corporate member of the City of Winchester Trust. We are therefore surprised that the Trust has not approached us for comment on Station Approach or responded when we wrote to the Chair in September to outline the reasons for our support of this scheme, which could benefit the local economy by as much as £81 million.

"We are disappointed that the Trust has taken the decision to apply for a judicial review against Winchester City Council’s approval of outline planning consent. The Trust has announced that they reluctantly commenced legal action because it is the only way they can effectively challenge planning approval on a scheme which they have objected to. It is also disappointing that the Council allowed themselves to be in a position where they could be challenged on their report to the planning committee. The Trust has not discussed their position with Winchester BID or asked us about the views of the local business community on the scheme or the wider impacts of taking this action, which will ultimately frustrate and delay progress on the development of this site and risks the loss of £5 million investment from the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

"The Trust have raised concerns about the scale of the proposed development and the Council reviewed the scheme and reduced the height. The Trust also raised concerns about the number of car parking spaces and the Council reduced the number significantly. The process of this judicial review against Station Approach risks not only a loss of investment, more time and more public money, but of developer and business confidence in Winchester. After Silver Hill, further delay may not only be of detriment to Station Approach, but also to the development of other key sites in the city centre such as Central Winchester and River Park.

"Many of our members are excited by the prospect of a new development at Station Approach and see it as a catalyst for wider regeneration. We have an opportunity to create an exciting and sustainable development, to attract and retain businesses, create new high value private sector employment opportunities, provide an economic boost to the city and deliver enhanced public realm at this important gateway to the city.

Winchester is a wonderful place which we all love with so much to offer those who live, work and visit here, but it has a number of sites which are in need of regeneration.

"How many more years will we have to wait before we see these sites developed while other heritage locations move forward with ambitious new developments, helping to future-proof their city centres to make them more competitive and successful to the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors alike and for future generations to come?