THE future use of a major commercial site in Winchester city centre is looking uncertain.

The currently empty Southgate Motors base in Southgate Street is currently on the market with joint agents Charters and Goadsby marketing it as “unique and substantial development opportunity.”

The agents say whilst the site may remain as a car showroom it could also have potential for housing or a mixed use.

Informal tenders for the 0.69 acre site should be submitted by February 8.

Joe Harvey, director of Winchester-based Charters Commercial, said the un-named freeholder was keeping his options open. “He is open-minded on selling the freehold interest for the existing use or, subject to planning, for an alternative.”

Mr Harvey added: “We are very pleased with the level of inquiries from across the board, commercial and residential, around two dozen to us at Charters. Its proximity to, and walking distance from, the city centre is attracting a lot of interest from housing for the elderly.”

Meanwhile administrators of the Southgate Motor Group which crashed in November have managed to negotiate the reopening of two of the seven sites across the region that closed.

Southgate’s former Romsey site has now re-opened as a Peugeot dealership.

Julie Palmer, of administrators Begbies Traynor, said several of the former Southgate employees have now been employed by the new company.

Mrs Palmer said: “The landlord has agreed terms with Snows Motor Group, thereby preserving one of the oldest Peugeot dealerships in the UK, creating 25 jobs in the process.

“This will be good news for the many Peugeot owners who have been in contact with the administrators.”

A spokesman for Snows Motor Group said they had already taken on about 12 ex-Southgate staff from across their various branches and may take on more as they move towards full capacity.

The £40 million turnover Southgate Group was based at Romsey and had Peugeot, Mitsubishi, and Subaru franchises on seven sites across Hampshire and Dorset.