SUPPORT is widespread for Winchester civic chiefs' idea of selling their offices and build a new headquarters in the city centre, at almost no cost to the taxpayer.

Last week we revealed the council was considering selling off its scattered offices and consolidating somewhere else in the city centre. It estimates it can rake in £9m through the sale which would be one of the biggest in the city's history.

The sell-off would almost cover the £9.3m cost of the new city hall for its 500 staff.

No specific sites have been earmarked but the council would be looking to use land it already owns. Possible sites could include the Middle Brook Street and Cossack Lane car parks and Friarsgate multi-storey car park.

The sites that could be sold include: City Offices in Colebrook Street; Avalon House in Chesil Street; Abbey Mill in Colebrook Street; the parking office in Middle Brook Street and the Historic Resources Centre in Hyde Street.

The council envisages a state-of-the-art headquarters built to maximise energy efficiency and offering a one-stop shop for the public.

Consultants have been brought in to undertake a study that includes redeveloping or refurbishing the City Offices in Colebrook Street.

A confidential report will go to the cabinet on November 18.Council leader Sheila Campbell stressed that the overall cost to the council tax payer would be negligible.

She said: "I would hope the public would support this. It will bring economic and environmental benefits. It would be a much more welcoming building to the public whether they want to see planning applications or ask about housing benefit.

"A new office done in a cost-effective way would allow us to provide better services. However, if it were to have a significant bill attached, I would rather spend the money on services."

Mrs Campbell said the proposal appeared to have numerous merits: "We are split across five sites. It is not the most efficient way of working. The existing Colebrook Street offices are cold in winter and blazing hot in summer. They were built in the 1960s and are reaching the end of their useful life."

Councillor George Hollingbery, deputy leader of the Tories, said his party had suggested the sell-off of Colebrook Street two years ago.

He said: "Having proposed something like this about these very valuable sites, the city council is now taking it seriously."

Alan Weeks, chairman of the Winchester Residents Association, said today: "The critical question is which site. The people must be consulted."

But councillor Patrick Davies, Labour group leader, said: "I remain to be convinced that it is not going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money."