A MULTI-million pound project will provide a much-needed revamp to part of a Hampshire city that looks as if “someone has given up on it”, a public inquiry was told.

Developers behind the £100m Silver Hill scheme in Winchester made the claim as they opened their case into why landowners should be forced to sell their plots to them so the redevelopment can go ahead.

Several are objecting to the plans by Henderson Global Investors and the city council.

In his opening argument, David Elvin QC, barrister for the city council, told planning inspector Christine Thorby the development would transform the area.

He said: “The proposal is to comprehensively redevelop a rundown and underused brownfield site. It will bring significant commercial benefit to Winchester and could increase potential shopper spend by 27 per cent, stopping shoppers leaking away to other places like Basingstoke.”

The scheme, which already has planning permission, would provide 287 homes, just under 100,000 square feet of new shopping space, offices, a new bus station, public car park and new public spaces.

Paul Appleton, of project architects Allies and Morrison, said Silver Hill was in desperate need of improvement.

He said: “As you walk around the site you get shamed by the fact it really is just a lost opportunity and a poor sister to the rest of Winchester. What is there now is so disappointing; it’s almost as if someone has given up on it.”

But objectors say the height of some of the proposed buildings is out of character with the historic High Street and that too many houses are proposed.

Mr Elvin told the inquiry that agreements had been reached with many opposing parties to withdraw objections, including Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer and St John’s Winchester Charity.

The inquiry at Winchester Guildhall is set to run until on July 6. The inspector will then make a recommendation to Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.