Southampton City Council have abandoned their plan to sell works of art to help pay for a new museum.

The proceeds from the sales would have gone towards the creation of a £15m cultural quarter in Southampton City Centre, including a new museum telling the story of Titanic.

A painting and two sculptures in the city’s possession were identified: After the Race by Alfred J. Munnings, estimated to be worth between £2m and £4m; Eve by Auguste Rodin (£1m-£1.5m); and Crouching Woman also by Rodin (£300,000-£400,000).

But the three works were acquired through the Chipperfield Bequest Fund, and it is understood that the Charities Commission have deemed the proposed sale to be contrary to the terms of the fund.

The development is now to be p[aid for “through other means”, the council has decided, and the decision will be seen as a particular triumph for the Save Our Collections group who had alerted the museums community to the intentijon. It was strongly criticised by the Tate, the Museums Assoiation and the ~MLA.

Roy Clare, chief executive of the MLA said: “Southampton tried to rush fences; their decision not to sell is right because they had not developed a proper curatorial case.

“Our advice to them was consistent throughout: ethically, it is perfectly feasible to disperse, dispose and sell elements of collections, but the case needs to be rational and objective.”