WINCHESTER planners are working on new 'local design codes' to produce better planning in the district.

The Winchester Town Forum heard that the design codes were needed with developments in recent years in Chilbolton Avenue cited as a reason.

The road has gone from a road with detached houses in large gardens to a large number of houses or flats in small gardens.

The forum heard that the council did not have a proper grip to steer the best development and the road was transformed over a number of years.

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Council leader Martin Tod told the forum: "There have been more changes on Chilbolton Avenue than in the rest of the city. It may be too late in terms of a design code (for Chilbolton Avenue) but there are other pressures elsewhere such as Sleepers Hill."

Cllr Tod said there had been at least a quadrupling of the population on Chilbolton Avenue, with 12 houses replacing one, a process he called densification and admitted "this is not something we are doing well as a city".

The design codes would give the planners more teeth to oppose developers.

Cllr Jamie Scott who represents Stanmore said a similar process happened on the estate with 400 homes now in multiple occupation. Housing pressure has led to the erosion of open space, such as in The Valley where new blocks of council housing opened last year.

Winchester has had 'planning design statements' for some 15 years covering Chilbolton Avenue, west Fulflood, Oram's Arbour, St Barnabas ward, Sleepers Hill and St Giles Hill. They are intended to act as a guide but do not have the power of the new design codes introduced by the Government.

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The forum heard that the council wanted to have design codes and several areas were suggested for a pilot: Romsey Road area, Harestock and St Barnabas, and Easton Lane.

Cllr Chris Westwood said the new Knights Quarter on Romsey Road has been an "utter disaster, being virtually impermeable and people have an entrance out on to a busy road. To walk from there is downright dangerous"

He said there was also the potential for major development on the Royal Hampshire County Hospital site, the prison and at the university on West Hill.

Cllr Tod said Kings Barton and development at Sir John Moore Barracks would impact on the Harestock and St Barnabas ward area around Weeke. The other suggested location, Easton Lane will see major pressure following the revamp of Junction 9 of the M3 and A34/A33 interchange.

Another suggestion was Bar End but Cllr Tod said there was little prospect of major development there other than the former council depot.

The forum plans to set aside £3,000 for consultant, Andy von Bradsky, former head of architecture at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, to work on a design code.