Winchester City Council is concerned that devolution could delay key projects in the city, impacting plans for the city center and station area.
Winchester: At a recent council meeting, Councillor Martin Tod shared some worries. He mentioned that a new mayoral combined authority in Hampshire might slow down plans to improve the city center and the station area.
This came up when Conservative councillor Steve Miller asked how the council could assure residents that devolution wouldn’t delay important projects like Central Winchester and Station Approach.
Cllr Tod responded honestly, saying he couldn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be any impact. But he promised they’d do everything possible to keep things on track.
He pointed out that while there are challenges, there could also be opportunities. A mayoral combined authority might actually help with funding and support for projects, especially for affordable housing.
He also mentioned the frustrations with Network Rail regarding Station Approach. With mayors having more control over railway stations, it could lead to positive changes for that project.
He noted that if they became a unitary authority, it could streamline decision-making on transport and housing, which is currently a bit scattered.
However, he cautioned that if the new authority inherits financial issues from Hampshire County Council, it could limit what they can achieve with regeneration projects.
