THE protest over a new park-and-ride facility in Winchester has cost the county's taxpayers almost £1m.

The campaigners' fight to prevent land at Bar End being transformed into a new car park has caused years of delay.

Now the county council estimates the additional cost, spent on security and legal expenses, at £960,000.

This week bailiffs are due to start the eviction process against the activists who have set up camp at the site. A court ruling on December 16 told them to leave by Boxing Day.

Councillor Keith Estlin, county council executive member for environment, is expected to approve more funding on January 13.

It includes £760,000 on heightened security costs, and legal expenses over the various court actions since planning permission was granted in 1998.

Other expenditure includes costs arising from the purchase of land in addition to the mitigation land required at Magdalene Hill Down, the funding required to return the land to chalk grassland and the cost of the extensive consultation carried out throughout the scheme.

County Council Leader Ken Thornber said: "It saddens me that the actions of a small group of people have added this considerable cost to the scheme.

"These security and legal fees were not anticipated at the start of the project.

"Funding will now have to be found in order to give Winchester the park-and-ride extension it so desperately needs.

"Following December's court ruling on the eviction of the protesters, we are pleased that we can now press on with the final stages of the project."

Work will start this month on the landscaping of the car park, with about 11,000 saplings and hedges to be planted over forthcoming weeks, ensuring that the new facility is an attractive environment, in keeping with its surroundings.

The legal actions have been:

October 1998: Planning permission granted by secretary of state.

May 2000: Judicial review on land acquisition ruled in favour of the county council.

November 2001: Permission for second judicial review refused by High Court.

February 2002: Appeal against refusal granted by High Court for a limited judicial review.

June 2002: High Court hearing regarding time period for planning permission ruled in favour of the council.

May 2003: Court of Appeal judgement fully supported the council and the process to select a site in mitigation was considered to be lawful.

July 2003: An application for a further judicial review was rejected by the High Court.

December 2003: County court go-ahead given for council to evict the protesters and complete park- and-ride extension.