THE Silver Hill developer owes Winchester City Council more than £700,000, it has revealed.

More details of the collapse of the £150m Silver Hill joint development with THRE have been disclosed.

Council leader Stephen Godfrey said the council has claimed £721,000 from THRE after the termination of the development agreement earlier this year and that “discussions are ongoing.”

Cllr Godfrey also repeated that the council viewed the planning permission granted in 2009 to have lapsed.

In a written answer to a question from Cllr Kim Gottlieb, the leader said: “Although no formal determination has been made, I consider that the planning permission has not been lawfully implemented and has therefore expired.”

Since January the council has only had one meeting with developer to discuss the disused Friarsgate Medical Centre which THRE own.

Kevin Warren, (pictured) estates director, has commissioned a valuation of the building.

THRE could let, sell or try to develop the building, the Council heard.
Officers have also twice met Stagecoach to discuss the future of the increasingly dilapidated bus station which the firm had expected to have been demolished by how and which is now longer wishes to operate.

They are meeting regularly St Clements Surgery to, in Cllr Godfrey’s words, “progress the purchase and relocation of the surgery.”

Planning permission has been granted for St Clements surgery to move to the car park on the corner of Friarsgate and Upper Brook Street.

The surgery was recently bought by Cllr Gottlieb for an undisclosed sum believed to be seven figures.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Jackie Porter said people had been worried about the lack of activity at St Clements.