Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Richard Walters (Director of Salisbury Vision) on the work of the Vision, focussing on the long-term and strategic aims of the project.

To be followed by a roundtable discussion on your long-term aspirations for Salisbury in relation to the Vision.

The Chairman invited Richard Walters, Director of Salisbury Vision, to give a presentation on the work of the Vision, setting out the long-term and strategic aims of the project.

Salisbury Vision had been set up to develop a holistic and aspirational (but achievable) plan for the city’s future, from physical, economic, environmental and social perspectives. The Vision sought to promote regeneration in Salisbury, and to prevent the risk of a “spiral of decline” by encouraging investment in the city, improving the city’s image, increasing visitor numbers and bringing more income and jobs to the city.

The Vision was run by a Board consisting of representatives from key local organisations, including:

• Salisbury City Council
• Salisbury Area Board
• Wiltshire Council
• Salisbury Cathedral
• Salisbury and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Salisbury Community Area Partnership
• Salisbury Civic Society
• Salisbury City Centre Management Ltd
• South Wiltshire Economic Partnership

Richard contrasted average salaries for jobs within Salisbury with average house prices, noting that high house prices relative to wages available within the city had accompanied a trend towards out-commuting in recent years. Many residents were commuting elsewhere to both earn and spend money. In addition, Salisbury was in competition for shoppers with other cities and large towns in the region, including Bath, Southampton and Bournemouth; it was estimated that around £37 million was “lost” to competitor cities every year.

It was considered that Salisbury had an “entrepreneurial culture” with a year-on-year increase in the number of VAT registrations.  However, this had not translated into an increase in the number of jobs available.  There had also been a long-term decline in tourism, in part due to national trends but also due to the continued decline in quality of the city’s public realm.

The Vision was seeking to address these issues, and deliver a “cycle of prosperity”, through investment in the city with a number of on-going regeneration projects:

• The Market Place – following recent consultation on revised design proposals a number of changes had been made taking account of public comments.  A comprehensive re-surfacing scheme was proposed, to deliver a high-quality flexible public space.  A planning application was to be submitted soon.
• The Maltings and Central Car Park – this important but underused area of the city centre was to be transformed with a retail-led mixed-use development, including some residential.  Richard noted that if the proposal affected the library (and it may not), the existing library would be replaced with a new purpose-built structure to provide equivalent or improved facilities either within or close to the existing site.
• Churchfields industrial estate – an initial “pre-masterplanning” feasibility report had been prepared by advisers to the Vision to consider the regeneration of this important employment area.  This recent work, funded by the government, would be reported to the Vision Board in April and would inform the next steps to be taken in this long-term and complex regeneration project.
• Public Realm Strategy – this existed in draft form and could be viewed on the Vision web site (http://www.salisburyvision.co.uk/page/Public-Realm-Strategy/61/). The Vision planned to consult on this document and have the Strategy adopted as planning policy in due course.
• Traffic and Movement Strategy – the Vision team was currently liaising with Wiltshire Council’s transport department to move this important work forward.

The Chairman thanked Richard for the presentation and invited those present to break into small groups for a roundtable discussion on the following questions:

Question 1 – How do I want to see Salisbury in 20 years’ time?

Question 2 – How can the Salisbury Vision contribute to this?

Each group was then invited to feedback ideas and comments on the issues.  A full summary of the points made, including those submitted in writing after the meeting, is attached as Appendix A to these minutes.  Any resulting actions would be reported to the next meeting of the Area Board.

ACTION: JAMES HAZLEWOOD