Sale of Bar End Depot decided by Winchester City Council

McCarthy & Stone are the preferred bidder and are proposing 56 senior living units, a 72-bed care home and 38 affordable housing apartments, as well as a 4,300sq ft convenience store.

It would also enhance pedestrian routes through the site, affording improved access to the Winchester Sport and Leisure Park and other local facilities for Highcliffe residents.

The cabinet meeting (Image: Newsquest)

READ MORE: Sale to be considered of Bar End depot site to McCarty & Stone

The former depot site has sat largely unused for seven years, with the cabinet deciding on the sale on Tuesday, October 15.

Addressing the cabinet, Cllr Caroline Horrill, Conservative group leader, said: “This is a good opportunity to use brownfield land to add further houses to our area, which we are coming under pressure to deliver, and also as part of a mixed-use desire for the site.

“However, can I ask why we have not ensure, before the deal is signed, that the affordable homes allocation is retained by the city council? We know land is at a premium, so to sell our own land and to then not be assured the affordable allocation comes back to us seems a poor outcome. Please can we commit to this being achieved and amend the paper accordingly?”

She also said that the selling of the asset “is not ideal” and asked why the scrutiny committee had to wait until Monday, October 14, to discuss the sale.

Cllr Danny Lee also raised questions about the design, saying: “The proposal and design framework do not seem to be fully underpinned by the sum of the updated realities of the new climate and nature crisis.”

He said that some of the plans seemed to be outdated, and questioned if it would be better to turn the site into a nature corridor.

The Bar End Depot (Image: Newsquest)

SEE ALSO: Highcliffe residents press for community facilities at Bar End depot

Cabinet member Cllr Jackie Porter said: “I think is a really useful use of this land. Bearing in mind it has been for the contractors working on the leisure centre. It is a very brownfield site, and I am very pleased it is going to be something practical.”

Cabinet leader Cllr Martin Tod said: “This is going to be good for the city. It is going to be good for residents, it is going to be good for the older population, and it will be good for the council as well. It means that this brownfield site gets to be brought into the present day.

“There will be a brand new convenience store for the people of Highcliffe to use, new housing and care homes for older people.”