New use for major building Coitbury House in centre of Winchester

Coitbury House, an empty office block, will become home to key workers this weekend.

The news was revealed at the Central Winchester Regeneration Open Forum which heard many questions about the scheme. The virtual meeting was attended by around 80 people.

The former NHS offices on Friarsgate (above), is set to be brought back into use imminently. Sixteen rooms are available to let to key workers.

Tim Lowe, of property agents Lowe Guardians, told the forum: "Eight key workers are signed up and start to move in this Friday (today). It is a temporary use to bring life and activity and complementing what is being done at Kings Walk."

Concerns were raised by former city councillor Rose Burns about the archaeology under the site, with experts such as Prof Martin Biddle saying there were likely to be important Roman remains. Roman columns and a road are thought to be under Coitbury House car park, she said.

Veryan Lyons, head of programme at the city council, said boreholes had been drilled and samples taken to understand what was down there, "It's not thrown up anything revolutionary or exciting at the moment. The plan is to preserve in situ. If anything exciting is down there it will be viewed on a case to case basis."

Plans are due in summer to apply for planning permission to knock down Friarsgate Medical Centre and create an interim public open space. The river will be opened up to the public.

At the forum, held virtually, former councillor Kim Gottlieb, who owns the St Clements surgery on Tanner Street, said he was pleased the council was not committing to spending £5m on Kings Walk but only £250,000 for essential repairs.

Cllr Kelsie Learney, portfolio holder for housing and asset management (above), said: "We have decided not to go ahead with the full scheme for Kings Walk. We are keen to get a creative quarter underway as an interim use but won't be insisting the developer does it in that building (Kings Walk) but will be looking for a developer to work with us to achieve that, whether in the existing building or in some other form that has not been thought of yet. Part of the point of bringing in a development partner is fresh thinking and thinking differently."

Emma Back, of the Winchester Sport and Leisure Trust (SALT), raised the issue of public spaces and if a development partner was brought in it could end with privately-owned public spaces.

Ms Newsham, of JLL said, such questions would be part of the negotiations.

Tim Fell asked about the future use of Woolstaplers Hall, current a warehouse operated by M&S. The Victorian building has longed been eyed as a site for a new museum, previously for the English Project.

Mr Fell also asked about the potential of the city centre for a new performance venue, larger than the Discovery Centre but smaller than New Hall at Winchester College.

Cllr Learney said a performance space was envisaged for Kings Walk and in the long run such a hall was being considered.

On Woolstaplers Hall, the council was working with Hampshire Cultural Trust (HCT) and looking at acquiring the site as a "cultural attraction".

Paul Sapwell, chief executive of the trust, told the forum that HCT aspired to having the hall as an Anglo-Saxon museum.

Cllr Learney said: "We are working with HCT and M&S to achieve something fantastic for the city which would be a credit to us all."

Former councillor Patrick Davies asked about the bus station, saying the retention of one was crucial otherwise users would be lost.

Cllr Learney said the council was looking to improve bus services but not necessarily retaining a station. A new one, with the road network changes, would cost £8.5 million.

Cllr Martin Tod said Brighton had shown that bus use could increase by focussing on fares, routes and quality of the buses.

Pete Robinson, Stagecoach operations manager, said: "I agree with what Martin Tod said. It is not the presence of a bus station that makes all the facilities. It's the network, it's the routes. Brighton and Hove is an excellent example. Salisbury shed its bus station and put it on the street. I don't think they did it that well. I hope working with the council we can do a better job and a job that will encourage people to use buses."

Read more here: Winchester civic chiefs set to make key decision on future of Central Winchester Regeneration aka Silver Hill

Victoria Duxbury asked about progress on the now-closed River Park Leisure Centre, and Station Approach redevelopment near the train station.

Cllr Learney said: "Central Winchester is the priority but that does not mean the others are forgotten. A report on River Park is coming in early autumn. As far as Station Approach is concerned, clearly market conditions have not been easy. We are not pushing it but don't mind if an approach is made we would take it up and work on it. It is on the back burner but definitely not forgotten."

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