Winchester Silver Hill developer plans judicial review over terminated contract

The city centre redevelopment was planned to include homes, shops and public spaces

A developer that lost a £150m contract to revamp Winchester city centre is set to challenge the decision in court.

The Silver Hill development has already been the subject of a High Court battle that led to the resignation of a council leader.

The scheme included 200 homes, shops, public spaces and a new bus station.

In February the city council told TH Real Estate it had missed a deadline for meeting conditions and the contract would be scrapped.

But now solicitors acting for the developer have written to the local authority claiming this decision was "unlawful" and saying it intends to start judicial review proceedings.

A letter in response from the council said it did not accept the legal challenge and would fight it in court.

Last year the High Court ruled the council had acted unlawfully by allowing the developer to revise the plans without putting the scheme back out to commercial tender.

The ruling led to the resignation of Conservative council leader Robert Humby.