SALISBURY City Council has submitted its response to the Wiltshire Local Plan Review.

Seven sites around Salisbury have been provisionally allocated for development including: 

  • 350 new homes close to the Portway site near Old Sarum
  • 100 houses on land north of the Beehive Park and Ride site 
  • 220 houses on land north of Downton Road 
  • 265 dwellings on land south of Harnham
  • 45 dwellings on land west of Coombe Road
  • 60 dwellings on land at Netherhampton Road Garden Centre
  • 50 dwellings on land at Church Road, Laverstock

The city council supports residents’ opposition to proposals to develop substantial housing estates on greenfield sites along Downton Road and off Coombe Road.

Salisbury Journal: Salisbury Guildhall. Picture by Spencer Mulholland

As well as "destroying" valued green spaces, it argues that these developments, combined with others on Netherhampton Road and on the east side of Odstock Road, will greatly increase traffic congestion at Harnham Gyratory, with knock-on effects around the ring road.

It is also concerned that Wiltshire Council has no funded strategy for alleviating this congestion, if that is possible, and is relying on contributions from greenfield developers which it says "will not be enough".

A statement from the council said: "There are no plans to build on brownfield land, some of which is in Wiltshire Council’s ownership. This is despite potential brownfield sites having been identified in the Salisbury Neighbourhood Development Plan, which is at the stage of being submitted to an independent inspector.

"Although homes are proposed by Wiltshire in the Maltings/Central Car Park redevelopment, no allowance has been made for these in helping to meet the authority’s overall housing target for Salisbury."

SCC further believes that the number of homes that will come forward through brownfield and ‘windfall’ schemes, on sites not considered by Wiltshire, has been "seriously underestimated", compared with what has happened in the past.

The statement added: "The council is concerned that the policy of relying on greenfield estate developments to provide ‘affordable’ homes will not be enough to meet the need for genuinely affordable housing for local people, young and old, that was identified in the SNDP’s research.

"SCC is reluctant to see more green spaces used for building when it is not proven to be absolutely necessary, as it aspires to protect the city’s green and blue infrastructure, biodiversity, air quality, and residents’ quality of life."

Councillor Nick Botterill, cabinet member for strategic planning, said: “This is an ambitious and sustainable plan that, if approved, will set out both where and how new developments may be built in the county over the next 15 years.

“It will provide for high quality, sustainable homes, and a choice of new employment opportunities in the right locations. This is about meeting Wiltshire’s needs for homes and not building any more new houses than are required.

“This Local Plan is about providing for a choice of high-quality designed housing, including affordable homes, in the most sustainable locations; maximising development on brownfield sites; supporting town centres; and providing high quality new public open spaces. 

“This is also the most sustainable Local Plan we’ve ever produced, as all new homes will need to meet zero carbon standards, and there must be a 20 per cent biodiversity net gain for all new developments."