A DEVELOPER could be holding the city council 'to ransom' over the proposed new GP surgery in Winchester city centre, a meeting has heard.

Assura plc is working with the NHS to build a new surgery for St Clements practice, and its 15,000 patients, on the current car park on the corner of Friarsgate and Upper Brook Street.

It has told the council that unless it stumps up £100,000 for public realm work the whole multi-million pound project could be unviable.

The council has been working for more than five years to relocate the current surgery from Tanner Street.

When the scheme got the green light from the NHS in February building work was due to start this year.

Hampshire Chronicle: The up to date design of the new St Clement's Surgery in Winchester, February 2022

CGI of the proposed surgery looking north on Upper Brook Street towards the surgery

Cllr Caroline Horrill, leader of the Conservative group on the Liberal Democrat-controlled city council, revealed the stumbling block at Cabinet.

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She said: "We as a council made a commitment to relocate the surgery in 2017. Here we are in 2022 still waiting for a new building."

She cited a council report which stated the £100,000 was vital for the developer. "Are we being held to ransom by the developer that if we don't provide the money from the Community Infrastructure Levy fund the development will not go ahead?"

The report states: "Not providing a £100,000 contribution towards public realm works was considered and rejected because it jeopardised the developer’s ability to deliver this important primary healthcare facility."

City council leader Martin Tod said the £100,000 was not being used to "fund the development" but would have a wider benefit by paying for new pavements and a dropping-off point next to the surgery.

Cllr Tod said Assura like other developers has come under severe pressure: "The Government's catastrophic management of the economy has increased costs for most developers, and having to 'value engineer everything, like the council with extra funding to complete the King George V pavilion (in Highcliffe). Construction costs are out of control because of the cack-handed implementation of Brexit and the cack-handed management of the economy which has affected interest rates."

Assura was approached for comment but have not responded.