RESIDENTS and developers are close to a truce over plans to build on the last meadow in a city centre.

The two sides have been battling over the scheme for new homes at the Winchester beauty spot for three years.

Planners have also thrown out two previous schemes to develop the land next to St John’s Croft in Blue Ball Hill.

Now a third scheme is in the pipeline and residents, who formed the St John’s Action Group in 2007, have given it a cautious welcome.

Instead of 14 homes, which were put forward in the first two projects, the new proposals are for six houses on the site, which is inside the city’s conservation area.

The developers and architects have also changed, with Winchester firms Huw Thomas Architects and Alfred Homes drafted in by the agents, Savills.

They have held private talks with the action group, and a public meeting to discuss the scheme is now planned.

The action group – which has already conceded that losing the meadow is almost inevitable – has sent out a leaflet to people living nearby.

It said: “The discussions were positive and amicable, not confrontational or divisive, with both sides listening to each other.”

Winchester’s new Tory MP, Steve Brine, took up the residents’ campaign before he was elected.

He said: “I’m delighted that Savills have learned from their past mistakes and are properly engaging with the community because that’s all the community ever wanted. They wanted to have their say on something that will significantly change their area.”

The public meeting will take place at St John’s Church in St John’s Street at 6.30pm on June 1.