SECOND time is the charm – or at least it was for Kevan Netherwood.

His new plans for a piece of Winchester's railway heritage have been unanimously approved by the city council planning committee.

Back in August 2019, he had been seeking permission to demolish Prospect House on Magdalen Hill and build four houses on the land.

After the Chronicle highlighted this in a report, the City of Winchester Trust objected against his proposals and the planning committee turned them down.

Now, following a meeting on October 22, Mr Netherwood has the right to build one three-bedroom dwelling alongside the former stationmaster's house.

Cllr Jane Rutter, vice chairman of the committee, said: "I would like to commend the applicant on this very sympathetic design.

"It's attractive and compliant with the streetscape."

Chairman Cllr Therese Evans added: "Even the City of Winchester Trust have commended these plans, which you really do not see very often.

"The applicant has come back and picked the all-round best solution."

Mr Netherwood, of the Clydesdale Group, also plans to have parking spaces to the rear of the new home.

His agent, Chris Ward, told the meeting: "The applicant has made the changes needed and has worked considerably with your officers to ensure they have no objections.

"All of the negative aspects of the previous plans were considered with the officers and now all of these have been overcome."

Prospect House is a Victorian building that was the stationmaster’s house for the Winchester Chesil Station on the Southampton to Newbury railway which closed to passenger traffic in 1960.