HAMPSHIRE Police HQ, one of the most distinctive buildings on Winchester's skyline, could be bulldozed and replaced with a huge housing scheme if the force loses another planning appeal.

The force is drawing up plans for a possible relocation of the HQ from Romsey Road, along with around 500 staff from Winchester, and is now considering alternative sites.

It has submitted an outline planning proposal to demolish its landmark 1960s tower block at West Hill and build nearly 300 flats on the seven-acre site.

The move comes after planners refused two applications from the Police Authority to reclad the tower and refurbish the surrounding buildings.

At the last planning meeting, the decision to refuse the latest application, which the authority says had addressed the council's major concerns, including the cladding eyesore issue, hinged on just one vote.

The police have lodged an appeal against the council's second refusal and are now investigating the viability of selling the site for development and moving away from the city.

If the scheme goes ahead, it would be the single largest housing project in Winchester since the conversion of Peninsula Barracks in the early 1990s.

The scheme includes 84 one-bedroom flats, 185 two-bed flats, 20 studios, and 11 houses, with underground parking space. The plans also include provision for "affordable housing".

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, planning consultant Deirdre Wells, who has been working with the City Council on the plans for the past few months, described the scheme as being on a "windfall" site, and proposals had so far been greeted positively by planning officers.

Mrs Wells said the development would go a long way to solving the city's housing needs and it was only a short walk from the station and had good public transport links.

Simon Hayes, Hampshire Police Authority chairman, said: "Having twice been refused planning consent to refurbish and keep safe the police HQ, we have been forced to look for an alternative way forward.

"This residential application will provide a contingency plan should the appeal in September be unsuccessful, and could well open a viable option in its own right, should a suitable new site be found."

Michael Coombes, the Constabulary's finance director, said it was not the force's intention to move from Romsey Road.

But to remove the tower and replace it with a less intrusive police HQ was not viable.

"We would have to spend millions to relocate staff temporarily," he said.

"We have to have this twin-track approach until we know about the finances. Our objective is to get a viable HQ."

Mr Coombes thought that the building's operations, which include the force inquiry centre, administrative core and media centre, could be moved to a location somewhere near the M27 or M3. Possible sites included Eastleigh and Fareham.

Patrick Davies, Winchester City Council's Labour group leader, said he thought the principle of residential development on the site was a "good thing" and to improve the present building was impossible without creating something more intrusive.

"This seems like a good opportunity to solve the problem once and for all."