ROMSEY’S former Strong’s Brewery site could end up in local authority hands – if two borough councillors get their way.

Former town mayor Mark Cooper and Sally Lamb have asked Test Valley’s officers to look at the possibility of slapping a compulsory purchase order (CPO) on the site off Station Road.

Both say the derelict site owned by Stanborough Developments is going to waste and they want to see it redeveloped.

Currently Stanborough has permission to build in the region of 230 new homes on the site.

The firm has converted the Old Malthouse into 44 flats – some still unsold – but the rest of the site been derelict since Whitbread closed the brewery in the late- 1980s.

Explaining why he thought the CPO was the only option to get action on the site, Councillor Cooper said: “The site totals seven acres of prime land that is doing absolutely nothing to contribute to the town and its economy.

“At a time when greenfields around the edge of town are threatened with development it seems irrational to have such a large area of dereliction near our town centre and it’s unfair on local residents to have the existing planning permission in perpetual limbo.”

His colleague Sally Lamb believes people in the town should have their say on how the land is developed.

She said: “At present the site has permission for housing, but if the borough council is able to compulsory purchase the site I would like to see a consultation with townspeople and the site’s neighbours to find out how Romsey people would wish to see the area develop.”

The CPO proposal is being put before full council on Thursday and it is likely to be referred to the borough Cabinet.

The authority’s strategic planning boss Steve Lees has been asked to look into the lack of movement on the project.

“We will be writing a report for the Cabinet modelled on the lack of progress on the site,” he said.

“Councils do not enter into compulsory purchases lightly. We would have to be in a very strong position to put a case for this action to a government inspector.

“We have used these powers in the past on land at Lortemore Place and we got some land at the old SCATS site in Orchard Lane and we won both cases.

Compulsory purchase orders are very complicated and you have to have a very strong case for one.

“We are hoping to meet Mr Stanborough to discuss his current proposal.”

Stanborough Developments managing director John Stanborough declined to make any comment.