Winchester civic chiefs are set to review their vision for how they want the city to evolve.

The Vision of Winchester was last undertaken in 2006 but now a fresh look is on the cards following the general election.

The new coalition Government want to scrap the regional housing targets and make the planning process more responsive to local wishes and needs.

Steve Tilbury, city council corporate director, speaking at the town forum last Wednesday (June 16) said that change of emphasis made such locally-produced visions much more important than in the past.

Michael Carden, a senior member of the City of Winchester Trust, conservation watchdogs, told the forum about the success of ’24 hours to save Winchester’ a recent brainstorming session at the School of Art to come up with ideas as to how the city could evolve.

Mr Carden said the energy of local people was needed to counter the outside forces that could harm Winchester. Without a vision of where Winchester was heading it could easily be blown off course.

The town forum is setting up a group of councillors and members of the trust to discuss these ideas.

Other work for the forum, which comprises city councillors who represent wards in urban Winchester, will include office and workspace, promotion of sport and the NHS.