CIVIC chiefs have accepted a damning legal judgment that they acted unlawfully over Winchester’s £165 million Silver Hill development and will not appeal a High Court ruling that it breached European law.
The ruling issued last month threw the controversial project into chaos, prompting resignations and an independent review into decision making at the Guildhall.
New leader Frank Pearson (pictured below) hopes to name the inquiry’s head by the end of this week after consulting political group leaders and chairs of key committees.
The two candidates, recommended by the Local Government Association, have legal and council experience but have not worked in Hampshire, Cllr Pearson said.
He told the Daily Echo that investigations could stretch back as far as 1995, when the council first discussed regenerating Silver Hill, but added that he wanted to give “as little guidance ... as possible” to avoid accusations of interference.
“There seems to be a loss of focus in the need for development for finding someone to blame,” he added.
“We musn’t lose the situation that we want that site to be developed. Recriminations of what happened in the past won’t much help in that aim.”
Henderson, which has until Wednesday to appeal the ruling, did not respond to requests for a comment.
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