WINCHESTER civic chief Keith Wood today denied plans to sell a well-used central car park.

Cllr Wood told Cabinet this morning: “The council has no plans to sell off Colebrook Street Car Park. As development at Silver Hill begins and the Friarsgate car park is demolished, so Colebrook Street will be important for all who visit and work in the city.”

He was speaking as he confirmed the council will be considering the redevelopment of its ageing offices in Colebrook Street.

Cllr Wood said: “The office on Colebrook Street is 40 years old and building surveys show a significant cost for repair of the roof, windows and much of the structure.

“Our options are to repair, use existing buildings across the city or to extend the Guildhall. We have not made any decisions at this stage and certainly do not have any detailed plans for knocking down the existing offices or building anew.”

He said the starting point for the project is that the headquarters should remain in Winchester, close to the Guildhall, the heart of civic life. The preference will be to keep people together in one building.