TrustNews Dec 20

Central Regeneration Area site - progress report

In June 2018 Winchester City Council adopted a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) following a period of extensive engagement and consultation in 2017.

At a Cabinet meeting of the Council on Tuesday 10th November 2020, approval was given for a consultation programme on the draft Central Winchester Regeneration Proposal from 11 November 2020 to 12 January 2021.

A dedicated page setting out the Proposal will be set up on the Council website which will include details of online consultation sessions.

The Proposal states that the SPD guidance underpins all the work now being undertaken. The focus of the Proposal is on development that meets the needs of the younger population in Winchester for employment, housing and leisure. It proposes retail, residential and mixed uses totalling 32,166 sq. metres of floor area, which is said to produce a viable scheme. The Proposal sets out five phases of development with housing to the east and mixed uses to the west.

The preferred method of implementing development is a contractual joint venture between the Council and a developer for the whole site. The SPD approach to implementation was to respect different land ownerships to enable sites to be developed independently within a long term plan.

Alongside this Proposal is a feasibility study on the creation of a creative hub at King's Walk, carried out by Turner Works and Worthwhile Works, requiring an investment of 3.5m to 4.2 pounds, set against an estimated income of c.825,000 pounds.

It is unclear as to what consultation will take place on this study and how it fits with the phasing and long term plan for the Central Area site.

The Trust will be responding to the consultation on the Proposal and would like to hear the views of members of the Trust. Please send them to the Secretary, Tessa Robertson, by Monday 4th January 2021.

 

Richard Baker