Consultants' £200,000 to help 'vision' (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Consultants' £200,000 to help 'vision'

ENGAGING consultants to develop a long-term vision for Salisbury will cost £200,000, it was revealed at a full meeting of Salisbury district council this week.

Council leader Kevin Wren said the council itself would be paying half the cost, with the remaining £100,000 coming from the regional development agency.

He was answering a question from Liberal Democrat member for Harnham West Brian Dalton, who, after hearing the cost, said: "That's a lot of money. I only hope the consultants do more than just come back with a lot of things we already know."

The council - with support from the chamber of commerce, the south Wilt-shire economic partnership, the tourism partnership, City Centre Management and the Federation of Small Businesses - is aiming to draw up a shared vision to take the city into the next 20 years.

The vision is intended to encompass all the social and economic development opportunities facing the city.

It will cover such issues as changes in car park demand, the major redevelopment of key city centre sites, future use of the Guildhall and the market square and a review of the Churchfields industrial estate.

However, Labour councillor Simon Howarth complained at Monday night's meeting that the vision lacked any overall scheme for reducing city centre traffic.

"I think we should be working towards minimising traffic in the city centre and, in the longer term, removing all non-essential traffic during retail hours," he said.

Mr Wren said Mr Howarth's comments would be borne in mind, but he said the council cabinet did not want to hamper or restrict the work of the consultants.