WINCHESTER Cathedral bosses are drawing up controversial plans for the biggest development in The Close in centuries, the Daily Echo can reveal.

They want to build on the Dean Garnier Garden, a public space just south of the church with many plants placed in memory of people who have died.

The cathedral argues that it needs to construct a two-storey building because of changes within the church itself.

The Winchester Bible, one of the treasures of medieval England, is to be relocated to a more prominent location on the ground floor from the first floor Triforium Gallery.

Making way would be facilities for the choir which would move to the new building. Also proposed to move there would be the education centre. The cathedral also wants to build toilets on the northern side of the church.

The proposals, called the Winchester Plan, are believed to have been costed at about £5m.

A charity, the 200-strong Friends of Dean Garnier Garden, which looks after the garden, said it was "distressed" about the proposal. The cathedral had proposed the garden back in 1992.

The charity's secretary Paul Russell said: "We are concerned about the effect on the garden, which is a unique space.

"Over the years we have received generous donations. All donors thought that because the cathedral invited us in, people thought they were giving for posterity not a short time.

"Not only do we feel the cathedral has let us down but we will be letting down our members and donors. We hope the cathedral will reconsider."

Cathedral bosses have looked at numerous sites, but it is understood that they believe the garden is the only practical location. The new building would cover some 60 per cent of the garden, leaving untouched just the part called the Lady Chapel Garden.