Salisbury Neighbourhood Development Plan wants your views

The Salisbury Neighbourhood Development Planning Steering Group (SNDP SG) have been working since 2019 to bring forward a new set of planning policies for Salisbury to manage and improve the development of the city in future years.

As part of this planning process, it asked local landowners to put forward sites to be considered for new development, focusing on brownfield sites that can be difficult to develop.

It said: "The Neighbourhood Development Plan confirm that local people are struggling to find affordable homes to buy or rent.

"We also think these homes need to be of a good quality, varied and in places with good facilities and access to neighbours. "We want your views on the following potential development sites."

The Quarry, Wilton Road

This disused quarry, near Bemerton Heath, was first excavated around 100 years ago and is a significant area of unused “brownfield” land within Salisbury City’s boundary.

The council says it has been working to develop a plan to make this into an "exciting, innovative, new housing scheme" complete with a community hub that facilitates home working, as well as infrastructure to create "a green and healthy living environment".

The scheme could provide between 300 and 400 new homes, many or all of which the council says will be "affordable and available for younger people".

Due to the unusual location and landform of this former quarry, innovative and modern design solutions will be sought for both built and natural environment.

Coldharbour Lane

The group said: "This site offers an opportunity to develop new 100 per cent affordable housing and better, easy to run, accommodation for older Salisbury people who are unable to afford market-rate rented housing designed to make life easier day to day. This scheme could provide 60 units."

The scheme will redevelop a brownfield site and may create better access to the River Avon. It is also possible that the scheme could have a pocket riverside park accessible to locals and Waitrose customers.

It is hoped that, once the site is occupied other homes [currently occupied by the people moving in], could then be redeveloped or upgraded for younger people and families enabling them in turn to live affordably in established communities within the City.

Brown Street Car Park

Brown Street car park. Picture by Spencer Mulholland (Image: Spencer Mulholland)

This site will be fully considered if a current study confirms that it is no longer required for parking.

The proposal is to create a “biophilic” design that will be a combination of high quality affordable (probably council owned) and market housing as well as other uses that would benefit the City. Examples, include flexible space for the NHS or a community café.

This could be an exciting and innovative scheme which becomes an attraction in its own right. There is potential to sensitively encourage regeneration of the wider neighbourhood and highlight the centuries old Antelope Chequer.

A biophilic development would be one of the first in England. It would help trial a contemporary response to living sustainably in the City.

Consultation Events and Activity

The aim of this consultation is to ensure residents and other stakeholder views on these sites are understood better so that the Neighbourhood Plan can take account of these.

If the sites proceed there would be more detailed planning led consultations next year.

There will be face to face consultations on the Market Place on Saturday, September 11 and Saturday, October 2.

The group will also be available to discuss the sites at the Salisbury Transition City People in the Park event on September 18.

Full details will also made available on the City Council’s website, where there will be link to an online consultation too.

In October there will also be local consultations for each site involving residents and other stakeholders.

For more information, click here.