A LEADING city councillor has said a new bar is planned for a disused building under major city centre regeneration plans.

Station Approach plans are currently being progressed by Winchester City Council with a view to revamping the area around Winchester’s railway station.

Cllr Steve Miller, portfolio holder for estates, said is it planned that the former registry office will be extended to form a bar or restaurant.

However, Cllr Miller said it would not be possible to bring the building, which was vacated by Hampshire County Council around four years ago, back into use in the short term.

He said: “We have been able to encourage meanwhile uses in the buildings in central Winchester (under the Central Winchester Regeneration project, otherwise known as Silver Hill 2), but Station Approach is on a much shorter development timeframe, with an outline planning application hopefully submitted by the end of March this year.

“It is not viable to let the building for a short term use and in any case substantial adaptations and refurbishment work would be required.”

The project is set to bring 140,000sqft of grade-A office space, along with a further 17,000sqft of retail, cafe and restaurant space.