YESTERDAY the demolition of the former Friarsgate GP practice in Winchester city centre was finally approved by the city council planning committee.

It paves the way for the creation of a pop-up open space next to this bus station. In the long run the area is likely to be a key part of the regeneration scheme being worked on between the city council and Jigsaw Consortium who were appointed early this year,

The planning committee heard criticism of this 'meanwhile' use which is rather misplaced. Even with a fair wind the final development scheme is several years away. It is much better to provide some public benefit than waste taxpayers' money looking after a deteriorating building. There was a suggestion that housing should go on the site. Perhaps in the long run it will but it would be premature to do so now and impinge on proposals that Jigsaw Consortium are drawing up.

As with the building work set to start on the new St Clements surgery on Upper Brook Street, the demolition of Friarsgate surgery is a small step in the right direction for this much-needed revamp of the city centre.

It is worth restating that Stagecoach initially proposed redeveloping the bus station back in the late 1980s. So three cheers would be too many, so would two, but this progress is certainly worth one hurrah.