This exciting proposition resonates well with the strategic direction for development of our city.  

This direction is reflected in the council’s policy documents – our Council Plan; our Carbon Neutrality Action Plan; the Vision for Winchester; the Green Economic Development Strategy; our Local Plan and the Central Winchester Regeneration Strategic Planning Document and is based on ambitions that residents and businesses have shared with us over the last five years. 

This unique opportunity to work with the University of Southampton in developing tertiary education, offers job creation, cultural development and community development.

We are keen to support the university so that they can explore the potential Winchester offers to them and the benefits they can bring to our city. 

Following the decision by Cabinet in March 2022, an initial Agreement for Lease will be entered into between the council and the university.  Under that agreement, the university would be given a five year period to develop and share their proposals for the site to expand the university's offering in the city of Winchester. 

This agreement enables the university to start feasibility studies and to develop their proposals. These stages will include community engagement by the University of Southampton – supported by the council.

Once proposals have been developed, the university would then apply for planning permission which is considered by the council acting as Local Planning Authority. 

Should planning permission be granted, a further legal process must be followed for the council to release the land for use by the university.

Yes, the university has committed to working with local residents, businesses and other organisations to improve their existing campus and develop their proposals for the fomer leaisure centre site 

As Local Planning Authority, the council will take all appropriate steps to consult on the planning application during the planning process.   

As landowner, we have committed to consulting local residents and businesses by following a statutory procedure for appropriating the site to its new use, before granting a lease to the university.

Any design of facilities on this site would need to be developed with sensitivity for the location, balanced with considerations around the purpose of and aspirations for the building. 

Any plans brought forward would be consulted on with the local community as part of the planning application and then approval would need to be sought through the normal planning application process. 

If the university’s proposals go ahead then the old leisure centre would be demolished.

The university will take time to consider what portfolio of subjects to offer across their sites as part of their investment programme in Southampton and Winchester. This is in part dependent on the needs of each course. The vision for this site is around developing the art school and establishing a new, multi-disciplinary facility. 

The university has shared that they want to provide a campus which retains green space, is open to all local people to enjoy and enhances the area with a cultural offer.  You can see more details on the presentation on this page. 

We want to ensure that Winchester supports young people in developing skills and finding employment is a key driver in our efforts around recovery. Students play an important part in our culture, our economy and the future prosperity of our city.

If the university was to teach courses in a new facility, any increase in student numbers would be planned for to ensure that we have the necessary infrastructure in place to provide fully for them.  

This campus would not feature a student accommodation block.

Some students will choose to live in Southampton and there are already rented houses and private halls of residence in the city used by both our universities. But the university is aware that there needs to be enough rooms for any new students and there are several 'out of town' options that could be considered.

Any new halls of residence would require planning permission and the public would be consulted as part of that process. The proposed development from the University of Southampton cannot include plans for residential accommodation on the old lesiure centre site.

The council is keen to work with both our universities to help create the right environment for the city centre to thrive for the benefit of this generation and future generations to come. The council also wants to ensure that Winchester supports young people in developing skills. Finding employment is a key driver in our efforts around recovery and community wellbeing. If the development goes ahead, by listening to the ideas from local people and business this proposal could enable our city to further its competitive economic advantages and improve the offering for young people. 

The University of Southampton has made clear their ambition is to make their public spaces accessible and also create opportunities for local people to work with the university to co-create, share, learn and innovate. 

We know how much local people love to visit North Walls. it will still be possible to enter North Walls on foot, as many people do now, and the council has retained some of the car park for public parking so users who need to use a car to travel to the park can continue to do so. 

Yes. To begin with there will be no change.  If the university receives planning permission which we expect to be sometime between 2 and 5 years the car park size will have 77 spaces.  The spaces to be retained  will ensure parking is provided for blue badge holders as well as spaces for people who might need to bring a car close to the park.     

There are other carparks readily accessible to North Walls Recreation Ground including St Peter’s and Durngate.

The council is aware how important the skate park is for local people and their families.  As was confirmed at Cabinet in March 2022, the skate park will continue to be managed and maintained by the council – further safeguarding its future as a key local recreational facility. 

Until the university produces a masterplan, we do not know if the Bowls Club would be moved.  

However, Riverside Bowls Club has a long lease which has statutory security of tenure. It would only be moved if the Bowls Club agree.

The university has comiitted to making available a flexible performance and events space. 

No. We know how much local people enjoy the green space at North Walls. The council has retained some of the car park for public parking so people can continue to access the area. They will also still be able to enter the area by foot along the existing pathways.

There is no change to the green space outside of the red line from this proposal and retaining the existing green space and outdoor public leisure facilities surrounding the site is of paramount importance to the university’s proposals.Any redevleopment will need to facilitate ongoing, easy and convenient access for pedestrians and cycles to the park. There have never been plans to remove the much-loved parkland, or access to it.

Any redevelopment would need to ensure that there is ongoing and convenient access for pedestrians and cyclists to the park. This will be an important element for any future planning application for this site. 

All of these factors will be taken into account during the planning application process.  The planning legislation will have to be followed - as it does for all applications. 

Winchester City Council's Council Plan sets out our commitment to supporting projects that will enhance our public realm and high quality environment across the district whilst continuing to make the most of our rich heritage.

The Town Forum’s Vision for Winchester, which was created having listened to the views and aspirations of local people, sets out ambitions around promoting culture and supporting creative endeavor.  

The climate emergency continues to shape the way we want our district to develop for future generations to enjoy. Our Carbon Neutrality Action Plan defines an approach to this through our commitment to achieving net zero carbon. We are actively working with partners to ensure that development in the district is undertaken sustainably. In a post-COVID context our recovery, the environmental sustainability of our economy and the long-term employability of young people are all priorities.

All these factors are also referenced in our Green Economic Development Strategy. We know that young people are looking for opportunities to explore careers in the green economy and creative and innovative tech sectors.

No. The council acquired the land in 1902 from Willian Barrow Simonds. In the 1902 indenture, the council was referred to as “The Mayor Aldermen and Citizens of the said City [of Winchester]”, which was a typical way of referring to the council in conveyancing documents at that time.

No, this is not the case.  

The city council is only entering into an agreement that relates to a small part of the whole area transferred under the 1902 indenture. Entering into the Agreement for Lease with the university does not in itself change the use to which the site may be put. This decision called appropriation, will be considered by Cabinet at a later date.

The site is subject to a “statutory trust” requiring it to be used for the purpose of public recreation. We have committed to consulting local residents and businesses by following the statutory procedure for appropriating the site to its new use, before granting a lease to the university. If and when the council makes an appropriation decision, this will bring the statutory trust to an end for the relevant site area only. 

The council owns the site and is not selling the freehold to the university.  Once signed, the lease could be transferred by the university to another entity with the councils consent.  Importantly, any replacement leaseholder would be bound by the restrictions that the site must be used for tertiary education only for the first 35 years of the lease, and throughout the term of the lease, there will be no housing on the site.