THE new year is set to be a crucial time for several of the major schemes in the pipeline in the Winchester area.

The district has a number of developments that have been argued about for, in some cases, decades.

The schemes include Micheldever New Town, Bushfield camp, Silver Hill also known as the Central Winchester Regeneration, Station Approach, the future of the old River Park Leisure Centre, Kings Walk, the demolition of the old Friarsgate GP surgery and the move of St Clements surgery from Tanner Street to Upper Brook Street.

Currently the most controversial is at the old River Park Leisure Centre where legal action is still hitting the redevelopment. The council had agreed a deal with Southampton University over the site which includes part of the car park.

The campaign group Friends of River Park has this month launched an appeal against the refusal by two High Court judges to allow a judicial review of the sale decision. The Friends say the land was given to the people of Winchester in trust.

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The Friends told the Chronicle: "It seemed to us extraordinary that the second Judge found that because the Council was making commitments to remedy any unlawful actions from now on, our claim was academic.

"North Walls Recreation Ground, including the River Park Leisure Centre site and Car Park, is public land, held on trust for our recreational use. No one knew we were to lose around 17 per cent of the park land area until the council’s announcement on November 1 2021. We weren’t asked about it in advance, and 438 written objections to it were largely ignored when the decision was taken on March 9 to lease it to the University of Southampton for 150 years."

The developers of Micheldever New Town and Bushfield Camp are both embroiled in the Local Plan process. The Church Commissioners are holding public consultation talking to local people about its plans for business use on the former military barracks part of the site.

At Micheldever Station the developer, the O'Flynn Group proposes a 6,000-home development on 1,250 acres of farmland. Planning officers and councillors are currently united on the lack of need for such a huge scheme to meeting housing need.

The Station Approach scheme is emerging from the Covid hibernation. Winchester City Council, Network Rail, and London & Continental Railways (LCR) have been talking to local people and creating an outline business case and a masterplan later in the year.

As reported, the city council has agreed to spend £100,000 on improvements to the public realm by the proposed St Clement's surgery. A Cabinet meeting just before Christmas heard that without the input the scheme may not be viable.

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There is set to be progress on two sites in the Silver Hill area. At Friarsgate the old surgery will be knocked down soon to create a 'pocket park'. Kings walk will also see a revamp for the medium term, with new lighting and signs.

For the longer-term redevelopment the council is set to announce its development partner, a major stop in the scheme which has been derailed several times in the past.

Asked about the challenges ahead city council leader Martin Tod said: "All types of redevelopment have just got a lot harder with the higher interest rates and extra costs caused by the government’s chaotic management of the economy, but we are looking to make progress.

"There’s still a lot of uncertainty around, but I very much hope we break ground on those projects ready to go, and which still make sense financially, such as the new doctor’s surgery and the short-term improvements to Kings Walk.

"On the projects that are still in the planning stage, the challenge is how to protect and enhance the stunning heritage, history and nature that we all love – while also doing what’s needed to ensure that the city and district continue to thrive in the future. The plans also have to add up and make sense financially and environmentally: that’s not optional.

"I strongly believe that careful listening to local people makes that more likely, not less, and have made sure all our projects have time to listen to local views and take those views seriously. My hope and intent is that, by working closely with local people, we continue to make real progress in 2023."