SALISBURY CIVICSOCIETY DECEMBER 2016 CelebratingourHeritage, EnhancingourEnvironment,ShapingourFuture What an active and interesting year this has been for the Society, opening with the very successful Awards Ceremony in January and rounding off with the well attended Open Salisburyisavibrantcathedralcity,surroundedbythebeautifulcountrysideandvillagesofSouth Meeting in November. Your support at events is much appreciated and we hope you have Wiltshire.Peoplevisititordecidetoliveherebecauseitisawelcomingcommunity,workingandtrading enjoyed the wide range of talks, forums, visits, walks, exhibitions and meetings for which inamarvelloush istoricsetting.Thechallengestodayaretomaintainthoseattractivequalitiesandyet we owe a huge vote of thanks to members of the committees who have worked hard to accommodateongoingchangesinpopulation,lifestyle,andtheeconomy. present such an interes ting programme. TheSalisburyCivicSociety,foundedin1960,workstopromotehighstandardsofcontemporarydesign NeilBeagriereportsonthewellattended ThisismylastmagazineasEditor,it’san inallaspectsofthebuiltenvironmentwithinSalisburyandSouthWiltshire,whilstsafeguardingthe OpenMeeting.JudyHowlessummarises interestingandenjoyablerole,oftenleading historicbuildingsandlandscapesettingunderpinningthearea’sspecialcharacter. thetalkonUpdatingtheWiltshirePevsner tosomeunexpectedvoyagesofdiscovery! Overtheyears,theroleoftheSocietyhasexpanded.Today,itisnotonlytheprincipallocalorganisation andANewUseforaRedundantChurch. Idohopewefindare placementsoon,the andguardianforthebuiltenvironment,butalsocelebratesandpromotesthearea’srichheritageand RichardDeaneprovidesupdatesoncurrent magazineisanimportantpublicationforthe culturallifethroughastimulatingprogrammeofactivities. issues,alsoreportingonpre-application Society,workingsuccessfullyinconjunction presentationstotheDevelopment withthewebsite,providinginformationof Salisburyfallsundertwoauthorities,createdin2009,SalisburyCityCounciland WiltshireCouncil.We Committee.Roundingoffwithaprofile interestaboutwhatishappeningwithinthe areabletocontributeeffectivelyinmanyareasandarerepresentedonseveralgroupsincludingthe ofmembersoftheGeneralPurposes SalisburyConservationAdvisoryPanel.WealsohaveagoodworkingrelationshipwithWiltshire SocietyandSalisburyandSouthWiltshirein Committee,completingtheseriesof Council,SalisburyCityCouncilandCampaigntoProtectRuralEngland.Asanon-politicalorganisation, general.Ihavetriedtobroadenthebaseof ‘MeettheCommittees’. theSocietytriestomaintainanindependentstanceonallmatters. contenttokeeppacewiththemanyevents, Wereceivedaverypositiveresponseto projectsandactivitieshappeningaround Throughaseriesofawards,talks,forums,openmeetings,visitsandourwebsitewepromoteand PeterDunbar’sletterrequestinghelptofill thearea.Yourcontributionsarevery provideinformationonthearchitecture,historyandgeographyofthearea. thevariouspositionswithintheCommittees, welcome,andI’msurethereisawealthof andwelcomethreenewmemberstothe hiddentalentandawiderangeofopinions GeneralPurposesteam.JanetPatchwho onavarietyofsubjectsamongstour Amongst the many activities of the Society we: willbetakingresponsibilityfortheBlue members!Ifyouwouldliketocontribute Monitor and constructively Maintain our support for Organise the annual Plaques,LizSlaterwhowillinitiallybe anarticleorphotographpleasesenditto comment on planning the projects promoted by Salisbury Historic Open workingwithBrendaHuntonVisits,and RichardDeaneatrdeane@madasafish.com applications and the former Salisbury Vision Days and the Salisbury Blue HadrianCookwhowillbeworkingwithNeil Thephotoonthefrontcoverwastakenby development proposals Plaques scheme celebrating BeagrieonpublicityandtheHeritageOpen Protect and celebrate the PatriciaScholzshowingtheroofsand our outstanding built Daysfor2017,whichpromisetobe Run an active and stimulating traditional chequer names buildingsofStNicholasinwinter. environment and heritage somethingquitespecial!However,weare programme of events for Unfortunatelywehaveseenmorerainthan Run a prestigious new stillwithoutaSecretaryandno-onehas members and the public Promote the economic snow inthepastweeksbutwecanalways buildings and conservation offeredtotakeontheeditorshipofthe vitality of the region hope!MerryChristmasandHappyNewYear! Publish a quarterly awards scheme quarterlymagazine,inspiteofthegenerous magazine for members offerfromSalisburyPrintingtodothe Stephanie Siddons Deighton layoutwork. Editor Our aims: To celebrate and commemorate the area’s To encourage and promote high standards A Warm Welcome to our New Members rich heritage and cultural life of design, management & maintenance We are delighted to welcome the following to the Society: To enhance and protect the built environment To provide a stimulating programme ThomasBeattie,WilliamBennett,GeorgeBruton,AngelaFord,JoGaunt,JuneGlover, and landscape setting of the area of activities for our members CarolineGodfrey,MrsAnnieHardie,RobertHawes,EdwardJameson,RichardKeller, MrsKathleenLewis,RosemaryPembleton,PeterRiley,PeterSaunders,AnneTrevett, RoyWoodward. We welcome new members of all ages and backgrounds 1 Reclaiming the Vision for Salisbury and South Wiltshire: A report on the 2016 SCS annual Public Open Meeting Salisbury Civic Society’s aims include celebrating the heritage, enhancing the built environment, and shaping the future of our area: the Annual Public Open Meeting run by the Society is one of many activities through which it seeks to achieve these. The Open Meetings, held every year since 1997, are designed to draw attention to a topic which could bring benefits to city and district, and are open to all free of charge. The2016OpenMeetingon9thNovemberonceagaindrewalargeattendance.Committee members were busy putting out extra chairs to accommodate a capacity audience of around90-100peopleintheAlameinSuiteatCityHall.Thisyear’stopicwas“Reclaimingthe VisionforSalisburyandSouthWiltshire”andfocussedonnewpossibilitiesa ndapproaches tothefutureofSalisburyandSouthWiltshire,followingthedemiseoftheformalSalisbury Visionexercise. TheSpeakers Photograph by Neil Beagrie We had five exceptional speakers at the meeting and opportunities for questions and debatewith: John Glen MP, ourkeynotespeaker,whoaddressedtheworkoftheSouthWiltshireEconomic JohnmentionedinadditionbringingnewjobsbydevelopingthescienceparkatPorton,and TaskGroup,andhowthisrelatestotheformerSalisburyVision,theSwindonandWiltshire theimportanceofhelpingpeopletoaffordhousinginourlocalarea.Headdedsomethings Local Enterprise Partnership, and other relevant bodies which are taking a strategic notintheoriginalVisionincludingtheneedforthere-developmentandfurtherinvestmentin developmentroleinSouthWiltshire. theWiltshireCollegeSalisburyCampustoaddressthegrowingneedforskillsandhigherpaid employmentlocally–togetherwiththeMaltingsthiswasoneofthemostimportantfunding JohndescribedthesettingupoftheSouthWiltsEconomicTaskGroupfollowingtheclosing bidsfromtheSwindonandWiltshireLocalEnterprisePartnershiptocentralgovernment. downofthethreeVisionsinWiltshire,includingtheSalisburyone,byWiltshireCounty Council.TheTaskGrouphasrepresentativesfromtheAreaBoard,WiltshireCouncilcabinet TheA303,wherethegovernmentcommitmenttofundatunnelremainsinplace.Highways members,Wiltshire Councilofficers,andSalisburyBusinessImprovementDistrict.TheTask Englandarecurrentlylookingatallaspectsofthescheme,includingotheroptionsputforward. Grouptosomeextentpickedupontheoutstandingworkfromthetwolargestprojectsin Keyimprovementstolocalrailwaytransportinfrastructurewerealsodiscussedincluding theVisionnamely: theproposedWiltonParkwaystationandnewfasttrainstoLondon(withajourneytimeof Maltings/CentralCarPark– Johnfocusedonthisinparticular,withcentralgovernmentbeing 68minutes). asked,throughtheSwindonandWiltshireLocalEnterprisePartnership,tocomeupwith£5 Johnwaskeenalsoforthecitycounciltotakeresponsibilityforimprovementstothecity, milliontoresolvelandissuesduetocontaminatedmaterialsdumpedonthesiteinpasttimes. followingtheassetstransfer.JohnsaidthattheadminstructurecoveringSalisburywasnot Thedecisiononwhetherthe£5millionisgivenwillbeknownonNov23rd,asitwillbepart ideal,butwehadtoworkwithit.HehopedthatsomeWiltshireCouncilCabinetmembers ofthechancellor’sAutumnStatement.Thefactthatitshouldenablealotofothermoneyto whocamefromthesouthofthecountymightemergeafterthenextcouncilelections. befreedupforredevelopmentofthesitebyStanhopeshouldbeapointinfavourofproviding the£5million.Johnishopingthatthemoneywillcome,andthatitwillsparkfairlyrapidaction John said that he thought Neighbourhood Plans were very important & a key way for byStanhope,includingpublicconsultation,andanexpectedplanningapplicationwithin18 communitiestoinfluencelocalpolicy.TheproblemhereisthecomplexissuesintheSalisbury monthsorsoofthedecision.Giventhepassageoftime,pastoutlineversionsofaplanfor areagivenitssize. thesitemaynolongerberelevant,andadifferentmixofusesmaybeproposede.g.less Judy Rose fromDevizesTownCounciland Chris Callow from Roundway Parish Council retail,moreleisure.Johnsaidthathisrolewasasafacilitator,notassomeonetooinvolvedin describedhowvisionaryideastogetherwiththeviewsof thelocalcommunitywerefedinto detaileddiscussionastowhatwentontothesite. theprocessofdevelopingDevizes’srecentlycompletedNeighbourhoodPlan.ThePlanarea Churchfields–theVisionprojecttoremovemuchoftheHGVgeneratingtraffic,andredevelop includesDevizesTownwithapopulationof15-16,000,plustheparishesofRoundwayand mostlywithhousing,wasseenasafuturephaseofactivity.Itisverydifficulttodealwithgiven BishopsCanning.Together,thetotalpopulationis30,000.Itisalargelyruralareaandhigh thecomplicatedownershippattern.