A FORMER Winchester mayor has quit the Liberal Democrat group – because of her unhappiness over the £150m Silver Hill development.

City councillor Sue Nelmes went independent yesterday, in a move that one councillor has branded “disappointing”.

Cllr Nelmes was one of the longest-serving members, having first been elected in 1998 and served as mayor in 2006-2007.

She intends to retire when her term expires next May.

Cllr Nelmes told the Daily Echo this afternoon that her departure stems from Silver Hill, the giant scheme and controversial plans for shops and homes in the city centre, which developer Henderson wants to alter, by dropping the bus station and 100 units of social housing.

She said: “I am very unhappy about Silver Hill and I want to be able to speak out, to speak as myself.

“I’m guilty about Silver Hill as I was on the Cabinet and in the ruling party when the original plans were passed.

“I didn’t like the architecture, but I went along with it because of the social housing and new bus station. All the little shopkeepers from Kings Walk were to have lock-up shops. But everything I wanted has disappeared.

“I am not going to change party and will remain a member of the Lib Dems.”

She said she would have felt uncomfortable disagreeing with fellow Lib Dems if she had remained in the group.

She recently spoke out against police not enforcing 20mph speed limits in the city.

Fellow Lib Dem, Cllr Richard Izard, said he is disappointed.

“I’m a past mayor and I am disappointed that a past mayor has decided to jump ship, although I don’t know the circumstances behind it.”

Cllr Nelmes will now sit with the Independent councillor Colin Chamberlain.

The council’s present make-up is Conservatives, 28; Lib Dems 24; Labour 3, Independents, two. The Tories rule as a minority administration.