CIVIC chiefs have been left waiting for answers after the Hampshire construction firm behind a Winchester city centre development went into administration.

Councillors were expecting the building of 27 new flats on the site of a former care home to be completed next month.

The Victoria Court development, in Victoria Road, will include 11 one-bed and seven two-bed flats and nine two-bed flats with a basement car park. The aim of the project is to free up larger council-owned family homes across the district.

However, following the news earlier this month that the award-winning firm Drew Construction, based in New Milton, has entered administration, work appears to have stalled.

Now, Winchester City Council is seeking answers from administrators in bid to get the scheme completed as soon as possible.

A spokeswoman said: “Winchester City Council has received official confirmation in relation to the trading position of HH Drew (part of Drew Construction) and was disappointed to learn that this longstanding and well respected company has apparently encountered difficulties.

"A completion notice for Victoria Court has already been received from the company with less than six weeks to the scheme being finished.

"We have contacted all of the potential tenants to provide reassurance and we will proactively engage with the company or its administrators to ensure completion at the earliest opportunity and bring forward the handing over of these new homes to our tenants.”

As previously reported, the demise of Drew Construction will see almost 70 jobs lost, with the majority already being made redundant.

Nigel Price, one of the joint administrators, said: "Just under 60 have already been made redundant but about ten have been retained for the time being to help us do what needs to be done.”

Mr Price confirmed that the administrators were hoping to sell parts of the business but said the company as a whole was unlikely to be sold as a going concern.

Asked about the reasons why it folded he cited losses suffered by the 110-year-old business.

Mr Price also warned that local businesses owed money by Drew Construction were unlikely to be fully reimbursed.

The administration process, which is being carried out by West Midlands insolvency specialists Elwell, Watchorn and Saxton, is likely to take up two years.