PUBLIC consultation over Winchester Cathedral's plan to build on most of a much-loved garden will start in March.

Proposals to destroy nearly two-thirds of the Dean Garnier Garden in The Close were revealed by the Daily Echo on Tuesday.

The cathedral says a new building is needed to house an education centre and choir facilities.

Space inside the church will be used to better display the Winchester Bible, a medieval treasure.

The garden, which only opened in 1995, has been maintained by a 200-strong band of volunteers.

The Dean, the Very Rev James Atwell, said in a statement: "It is important that we look at the options for the cathedral in the medium and longer term to enable it to continue serving the community and providing its mission and ministry.

"The cathedral has served the community for almost a 1,000 years. We want to be able to extend its worship, education and hospitality to fit the needs of the future.

"On the site of the Dean Garnier Garden, there used to be an ancillary building that was part of the cathedral site in its monastic days, and this area was the monks' dormitory."

The cathedral identified two sites for the building - the Chapter House lawn or the Dean Garnier Garden.

Preliminary consultations have started with the cathedral community and the exercise will go wider in March.

Dean Atwell added: "The proposals are at a very early stage and we are a long way off planning application stage. At the moment, we are focusing on listening to the public."

Adrian Munns, the cathedral receiver general, said: "The heart of the proposals are to improve education provision and provide access to one of the nation's great treasures."