BLUNDERING Southampton council chiefs paid hundreds of pounds on legal bills - when they could have splashed out on a stamp instead.

A judge has upheld an appeal by residents who complained at the way officials went about closing parts of two city roads off St Mary Street.

Reno Abela, who spearheaded the campaign, said they only launched the battle because requests to see if people living nearby could still use a subway were ignored.

He said: "I asked my local councillors and the legal department at the council but they never got back to me. All they had to pay for was a stamp to send a letter."

Judge Norman Rudd, sitting on an appeal at Southampton Crown Court, said civic centre officers had "comprehensively failed" in following official procedures in closing the roads.

Council bosses had to gain a stopping up order of the cul-de-sacs after part of the Bellway Homes scheme encroached on to the highway.

Mr Abela was among residents and businesses in St Mary Street forced to make way for the development, which received the go-ahead after a public inquiry last year.

Judge Rudd ruled the council had not followed regulations when informing residents of the plans to close part of the roads and threw the order out.

Council chiefs will now have to go through the whole legal process of securing a stopping up order again of Craven Street, which leads on to the subway, and Winton Street.

The court was told officers did not put notice signs in the correct places, inform all neighbouring householders and displayed misleading plans.

The two cases cost the council about £3,000 and they will also have to pay out costs to Mr Abela.

Judge Rudd said: "Throughout, they have said they wanted no more than to have some assurance that the right of way between Craven Street and the underpass will be re-instated. They say that's something they have constantly been refused."

The two roads initially led to a car park, which has now been replaced by the housing development, and the council claimed the parts to be closed off were no longer needed.

Gary Lucie, representing the council, said officers were unable to put signs in the correct places because of nearby building work.

A city council spokeswoman said: "Bellway Homes did close the Kingsway subway for a period of time after applying to the city council for a temporary closure order.

"The subway was closed during construction work for the safety of the public. It has recently reopened and is now fully accessible.

"The council has been told to re-issue the notices regarding the closure of the highway following the judge's instructions and this will be done at a cost of no more than £500."