Salisbury Central Area Framework Public Consultation Report (Jan - Feb 2020) 1 1. Introduction 1.1. Wiltshire Council has produced a Salisbury Central Area Framework (CAF) which makes a series of recommendations for future development in Salisbury’s city centre area. 1.2. The CAF project was borne out of the recovery work in the city following the nerve agent attack in March 2018, which had a profoundly damaging impact on the city centre economy. At the time of writing Salisbury, along with the rest of the world, is now in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis. While the impact of the pandemic has delayed the work on the CAF, the shutdown and economic fallout has made the need to plan proactively for the city centre even more acute. It has accelerated the urgency to deliver the recommendations of the CAF in order to support Salisbury in its long-term recovery from both tragic events. The plans and projects within the CAF form an essential part of Salisbury's bounce back from these events. 1.3. The CAF makes a series of recommendations for deliverable development initiatives within the city centre area to help aid the city’s recovery. It is intended to serve as an evidence-based document to inform the Wiltshire Local Plan Review, the emerging Salisbury Neighbourhood Plan and future planning guidance documents as appropriate. 1.4. The council has undertaken two stages of in-depth public consultation on the CAF. The first was a consultation on a series of broad themes for the CAF between Thursday 27th June and Friday 9th August 2019 and the second was on a draft CAF between Thursday 16th January and Friday 28th February 2020. This report summarises the consultation on the draft CAF in January – February 2020. Details about the first stage of public consultation can be found on the Council’s website1. 1.5. The purpose of this document is to explain how the consultation process was carried out; to summarise the issues arising; and to provide a response to the issues raised highlighting how these have shaped the final CAF document. 2. How to use this document 2.1. This Consultation Report is broken down into a series of sections and appendices, as follows: • Section 3 sets out the methodology that has been undertaken in carrying out the consultation. • Section 4 sets out a summary of the consultation responses, and the council’s responses. • The appendices to the Consultation Report set out further details in respect of the consultation process. 3. Methodology for the consultation 3.1. In January 2020 the council embarked on a period of consultation on a draft CAF document that had been prepared following analysis of the responses received to the first public consultation. This second stage of consultation gave members of the public and other interested parties a further opportunity to have meaningful input in shaping the CAF. 1 Salisbury Central Area Framework: Report on summer 2019 public consultation http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/downloads/21279 2 3.2. The consultation was comprehensive and followed the prescription outlined for the preparation of Supplementary Planning Documents in Wiltshire Council's Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)2. The council invited consultation responses between Thursday 16th January and Friday 28th February 2020. Who was consulted? 3.3. Organisations, groups and individuals set out within the Regulations3 and the SCI were notified of the start of the consultation period and how to comment. 3.4. Because the CAF relates to Salisbury only, it was decided that the consultation should be focussed only on parts of Wiltshire that are likely to be affected by the project. As such, the consultation outreach was focussed on the Salisbury, Wilton, Amesbury and Southern Wiltshire Community Areas. 3.5. Due to the geographic location of Salisbury – being relatively close to the administrative boundaries of Dorset Council, New Forest District Council, New Forest National Park and Test Valley District Council – notifications were also sent to parish councils in these areas that were considered likely to have an interest in the CAF. How were people consulted? 3.6. Consultees were made aware of the consultation through a variety of means, including direct notifications by email or post to relevant consultees on the council’s consultation database. A copy of the letter and email that was sent out to consultees can be viewed at Appendix A. 3.7. Opportunities for engagement with the consultation process were also widely advertised prior to commencement and included: • Announcements / articles about the CAF on the Wiltshire Council website, Salisbury City Council website, Salisbury Journal newspaper website, Spire FM website and Wiltshire Life website. See Appendix B. • Announcements through Wiltshire Council e-newsletters. See Appendix C. • Social media communications. See Appendix D. 3.8. Consultees were informed that the consultation material was available to view throughout the consultation period at the following locations: • In electronic format on the council’s website • In paper format at the following locations: o Salisbury Library (including exhibition board display) o Wilton Library o Downton Library o Amesbury Library o Durrington Library o Five Rivers Leisure Centre, Salisbury (including exhibition board display) o Wiltshire Council Bourne Hill offices in Salisbury o Wiltshire Council County Hall offices in Trowbridge 2 Wiltshire Council Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), July 2015, available at: http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/downloads/9895 3 The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 3 3.9. In addition, there were two extensive full day public exhibitions about the CAF. The first was held on Tuesday 21st January 2020 at Salisbury City Hall and the second was held on Thursday 29th January 2020 at the United Reformed Church on Fisherton Street. The two exhibitions were also used as an opportunity to inform the public about some of the details of projects emerging from the CAF and were being progressed in tandem. Approximately 40 exhibition boards were on display and Wiltshire Council officers, various consultant colleagues and officers from the Environment Agency were in attendance to answer questions from members of the public. Both exhibitions were very well attended. A copy of the CAF exhibition boards can be found at Appendix E. CAF exhibition at Salisbury City Hall, 21st January 2020 3.10. Representors were offered several ways to respond to the consultation. A survey could be completed and submitted via Wiltshire Council’s consultation portal4. Alternatively, surveys and other comments could be submitted by email or post or could be submitted by hand at either of the public exhibitions. A copy of the survey can be viewed at Appendix F. 3.11. The consultation was widely accessible to a broad range of people, thereby offering ample scope for all those with an interest in developing the proposals for the CAF to comment. 4 Consultation portal, available at https://consult.wiltshire.gov.uk/portal/majorprojects/salisbury_central_area_framework_jan-feb_2020_1 4 4. Summary of responses and issues arising 4.1. Over the consultation period 312 duly made representations were received. 4.2. The representations were processed, logged with unique ID numbers, and made anonymously available to view on the council’s consultation portal. Respondents could also log in to the council’s consultation portal to view the answers they had given to the survey. Analysis of consultation topics 4.3. The following section sets out a summarised analysis of the consultation responses that were received, set out in question order as appeared in the consultation survey. A more detailed set of summarised responses, along with Wiltshire Council officer responses can be found at Appendix G. 5 Question 1 4.4. Question 1 asked: In order to improve the local environment and air quality in the city centre, the CAF proposes to develop a ‘street hierarchy’ that prioritises streets and spaces for pedestrians and cyclists over cars. To what degree would you support such proposals? 100% 90% 84% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 10% 6% 0% Overall support Don't know Overall opposition 4.5. Of those responding to Question 1, a significant majority were in support of the development of a street hierarchy to prioritise streets and spaces for pedestrians and cyclists over cars. 4.6. A number of additional issues were raised, including: • Keep free access for those with poor mobility, the elderly etc. and not only blue badge holders. • The needs of disabled people must be considered from an early stage of developing proposals. • Must consider the needs of those with mental health conditions cannot use busy areas and rely on private car access. • Access is needed by residents, healthcare worker, businesses/shops. Some businesses require car access for appointments/ visits, deliveries, bulky items. • There would need to be another way for through traffic and deliveries. • Set up specified times for goods deliveries. • Ban cars (excluding buses/blue badge holders) for specified times of the day. • Concern that reducing access will harm viability of businesses. • Making it less convenient for people to access the city and park may put people off from visiting. • Ban lorries/HGVs from the centre. • Salisbury’s air quality needs improving, introduce more electric cars / buses / tuk-tuk rickshaws. • Introduce more trees/greenery, e.g. like on Winchester Street. • Introduce ‘City Trees’ - permanent installations of moss planting which improve and monitor air quality - could be sponsored by business. • Exeter Street and Southampton Road need landscaping and trees. • Continued access for buses in the centre is essential. 6 • Support for introducing pedestrian areas it will make the city more attractive, safe, and clean. • Pedestrianise Fisherton Street. • Concern about creating rat runs in other parts of the area, e.g.