"ENOUGH is enough."

That was the message from councillors last night as they backed plans to ditch the firm behind a £150 million Hampshire development.

Property giant TH Real Estate (THRE) is set to be dropped from their scheme to transform part of Winchester city centre.

Now the city council is planning its own development of the Silver Hill area over the next three to five years, with an immediate facelift for parts of the run-down site.

As previously reported, the council's Conservative leaders rejected the THRE's plea for more time after U-turning on a pledge to start work by Christmas.

And the axe will fall sooner than expected as it emerged the developer will not have a period in which to save its plans if the decision is rubber-stamped in a fortnight.

All but one councillor - Conservative Ian Tait - backed last night's motion by Lib Dems and Tory campaigners to walk away immediately.

"My belief is that enough is enough," Tory council boss Stephen Godfrey said.

"Time is running short and we must see progress, that progress that the 2009 scheme will deliver: 100 new and affordable homes in the centre of Winchester, a new GPs' surgery, more car parking spaces, a much-improved retail scheme, a much-improved public realm ... a new bus station.

"We will look to make the best use of that land, to make it as smart and habitable and usable as best we can, but it will take investment to do that," he added.

Lib Dem group leader Cllr Lucille Thompson said: "It is time to bring an end to this whole sorry saga, which has been so dogged by delay and uncertainty. Now we know there will be no affordable housing and no proper bus facilities, there should be no deal."

The vote comes as a victory for Cllr Kim Gottlieb, the rebel Conservative who led a campaign to ditch THRE.

"It's an extraordinary outbreak of common sense," he said.

In the next few months the council wants to rebuild part of the crumbling Friarsgate car park, restore the derelict Coitbury House health centre and improve the Kings Walk shopping strip, Cllr Godfrey told the Daily Echo.

The Daily Echo has approached TH Real Estate for comment.