WINCHESTER College has bought the former pumping station in St Cross for an undisclosed sum.

The Victorian building on Garnier Road, no longer needed by Southern Water, has been offices for public relations firms in recent years. The college says it intends to lease the building with strong local interest.

A spokeswoman said: “Winchester College has bought the old pumping station on Garnier Road. I’m afraid we won’t be publicly disclosing the price or any other specifics on the terms of the sale.

“It is a wonderfully historic building in a fantastic location and we are currently exploring possible lease arrangements with a number of interested local parties. It is certainly our intention that the building be leased and not used for school purposes at this time.”