Council leader’s vision for Salisbury as Maltings site sold

Cllr Richard Clewer has confirmed the site was bought by UK real estate asset manager Catella APAM, and says the council, still landowners, is “looking forward to working with them”.

While plans for the site have not yet been finalised since the £15.5million purchase, Cllr Clewer said its future needs to “enhance the Salisbury offer”.

Ideas for the site

“Catella APAM wants to develop and make more out of the Maltings, so we will need to talk to [the company] about tying in with our aspirations for the site,” Cllr Clewer said.

“We need something for Salisbury that will make people stay, rather than driving straight through it.

“Look at nearby towns like Dorchester, which has just got new restaurants and retail, we just need to try something out that we don’t already have – something along those lines but adding to what Salisbury has already got.”

Despite “nothing specific” tabled for the area right now, Cllr Clewer added: “I’m sure Catella has its own ideas for the site, we need to understand what it wants to do taking this forward and we look forward to working with them.”

Wiltshire Council leader Richard Clewer

Former plans and river park scheme

Previous plans to relocate the library and make it part of a new Maltings redevelopment were put on hold after funding was reallocated to the River Park scheme in 2020.

These plans included a mixed-use development on Fisherton Street, the former British Heart Foundation site, which would include a revamped library, hotel and a gym.

Cllr Clewer said it is his understanding a Travelodge is ready to build in that area.

Meanwhile, talking about the river plan, the council leader said: “There has always been ambitious plans for the Maltings, and now the river plan scheme will mitigate the ongoing flooding issues.

“You can’t make it flood-proof but it will be so much better for that catchment area.”

Preliminary construction work for the project started last month, covering land at Ashley Road open space, Fisherton Recreation Ground and the Maltings, meaning changes to vegetation and the removal of trees.

Preliminary construction work for Salisbury River Park project begins - Picture by Spencer Mulholland

New site for the library?

Discussing the future of the library, Cllr Clewer said it needs to be rehomed as “it is not useable in a place that needs to be redeveloped”.

He suggested the City Hall, currently a Covid-19 vaccination clinic, could become the location of a new library.

He has assured this will not replace the venue as a performing arts hub, but instead could be a service within the venue.

He said: “For now it can stay where it is, but we need a modern library. It’s no longer just about books, libraries nowadays provide all sorts of things, it really needs to be modernised.

"As much as I love sitting down with a book the borrowing service is not as frequented as it once was.”

The current library site, Salisbury Market Walk

Focus on parking

Cllr Clewer also told the Journal a future objective for him is to address Salisbury parking, in particular how much is actually needed in the city.

He suggested sites like Culver Street could instead be used for other facilities.

This comes after an increase to parking charges was given the green light last month.

“With Covid-19, we never really had a chance to even recover from Novichok,” he added, “so now we have an opportunity to better the city.”

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