FAQ's - Your Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Salisbury River Park project?

The Salisbury River Park scheme is a joint project developed by the Environment Agency, Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council that will reduce flood risk within Salisbury whilst enhancing habitats and public enjoyment, improving fish passage, reducing future liabilities and encouraging growth and regeneration. Wiltshire Council developed a masterplan for a river park along the River Avon through the centre of Salisbury, and phase 1 of this, which the Environment Agency is leading on, covers works at Fisherton Recreation Ground, Ashley Road Open Space, and the Maltings/Central Car Park area.


2. Where can I find more information on the project?

This website contains lots of information on the project and will be continuously updated. The River Park Masterplan contains information on how Phase1 fits into the overall vision for the area. The phase 1 scheme received planning consent in November 2021, and details on this can be found on Wiltshire Council’s planning website. The planning reference is PL/2021/03601. The project team can be contacted at riverpark@environment-agency.gov.uk.


3. Has the scheme been agreed with the landowners?

Almost all of the scheme area is within the ownership of Salisbury City Council or Wiltshire Council who are partners on this project. All affected landowners are aware of the works.


4. Why are vegetation clearance works required?

In order to create the new, wider green corridor and the flood defences it is impossible to keep all existing trees. Where possible, the design was modified to minimise the impact on trees. A tree survey was also undertaken to identify the trees of greatest value and particular care was taken to avoid any negative impacts.

Whilst undertaking works to trees for the works to take place, we have also taken the opportunity to carry out essential maintenance to other trees in the area. This includes some surgery on existing trees and removal of a line of Ash trees that have been affected by "Ash die-back" disease.


5. Why are the vegetation clearance works required now?

We have completed all Tree maintenance works during April-May 2022 before the bird nesting season, to avoid any impacts on nesting birds at a later date. Trees have been safely removed down to stump level.


6. What replacement planting is proposed?

As part of the scheme a large number of new trees will be planted - six times more than are removed. These will be a mixture of local species and sizes, including a number of larger specimen trees. Where possible, replacement planting will happen in winter 2022/early spring 2022. The majority of new tree planting will happen in next winter 2022/2023. It is best practice to plant trees outside the growing season as they will establish better, and be more likely to thrive and grow into stronger mature trees.


7. What happens to the water volves/fish in the river?

This involves trapping and relocating water voles/fish which use this area. This project commenced early 2022 once the vegetation works were completed. This work was undertaken by a specialist ecologist under licence from Natural England, and involved safe trapping of the voles and transportation to a site further downstream on the River Avon, where there is an area that has ideal habitat for water voles/fish, but currently has no population due to historic issues which have now been addressed. Following this we also excavated the burrows to ensure no other water voles/fish move into these areas prior to our main works commencing.


8. How do you ensure their is no impact on the local ecology?

The works are timed to minimise negative impacts on ecology. Before the works start additional surveys are undertaken to confirm that there are no bat roosts within the trees. The works on scheme will be supervised by an ecologist at all times.


9. What will happen to the vegetation material that is removed?

We aim to reuse as much of the material on site, or within the local area, as much as conveniently possible. We aim to keep any larger trunks or branches on site, or stored locally to use as part of the landscaping of the scheme. It may be possible to use some of the wood as part of public art project. Some of the material will be turned into mulch for local groups to use in the local area. None of the material will go to waste.


10. What will the impacts on parking be?

During the duration of these works the Millstream Car Park (next to the coach park) will be closed to allow space for a site compound. This closure is likely to then continue to allow a compound space for the next stage of work.

Works are proposed within the Central Car Park along the River Avon between the point where the River Avon splits into two channels (to the south of the railway line) down to Avon Approach Bridge. To allow a safe working space, parking spaces will be temporarily removed along the river within the long stay car park.


11. What will the impacts on footpaths be?

To ensure public safety we will need to temporarily close public footpaths and cyclepaths adjacent to where work is being done. These will only be closed when works are in that area, and agreed signposted diversion routes will be set up. Staff will also be on site to assist members of the public.


12. What works are proposed next?

The main construction works started June 2022, with the majority of the works being completed during Summer and Autumn 2022. Some works will continue over into next winter 2023, with additional works planned for Summer and Autumn 2023. Completion for all works is expected to by December 2023. Take a look at our Scheme news and updates.

1. What is the Salisbury River Park project?

The Salisbury River Park scheme is a joint project developed by the Environment Agency, Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council that will reduce flood risk within Salisbury whilst enhancing habitats and public enjoyment, improving fish passage, reducing future liabilities and encouraging growth and regeneration. Wiltshire Council developed a masterplan for a river park along the River Avon through the centre of Salisbury, and phase 1 of this, which the Environment Agency is leading on, covers works at Fisherton Recreation Ground, Ashley Road Open Space, and the Maltings/Central Car Park area.


2. Where can I find more information on the project?

This website contains lots of information on the project and will be continuously updated. The River Park Masterplan contains information on how Phase1 fits into the overall vision for the area. The phase 1 scheme received planning consent in November 2021, and details on this can be found on Wiltshire Council’s planning website. The planning reference is PL/2021/03601. The project team can be contacted at riverpark@environment-agency.gov.uk.


3. Has the scheme been agreed with the landowners?

Almost all of the scheme area is within the ownership of Salisbury City Council or Wiltshire Council who are partners on this project. All affected landowners are aware of the works.


4. Why are vegetation clearance works required?

In order to create the new, wider green corridor and the flood defences it is impossible to keep all existing trees. Where possible, the design was modified to minimise the impact on trees. A tree survey was also undertaken to identify the trees of greatest value and particular care was taken to avoid any negative impacts.

Whilst undertaking works to trees for the works to take place, we have also taken the opportunity to carry out essential maintenance to other trees in the area. This includes some surgery on existing trees and removal of a line of Ash trees that have been affected by "Ash die-back" disease.


5. Why are the vegetation clearance works required now?

We have completed all Tree maintenance works during April-May 2022 before the bird nesting season, to avoid any impacts on nesting birds at a later date. Trees have been safely removed down to stump level.


6. What replacement planting is proposed?

As part of the scheme a large number of new trees will be planted - six times more than are removed. These will be a mixture of local species and sizes, including a number of larger specimen trees. Where possible, replacement planting will happen in winter 2022/early spring 2022. The majority of new tree planting will happen in next winter 2022/2023. It is best practice to plant trees outside the growing season as they will establish better, and be more likely to thrive and grow into stronger mature trees.


7. What happens to the water volves/fish in the river?

This involves trapping and relocating water voles/fish which use this area. This project commenced early 2022 once the vegetation works were completed. This work was undertaken by a specialist ecologist under licence from Natural England, and involved safe trapping of the voles and transportation to a site further downstream on the River Avon, where there is an area that has ideal habitat for water voles/fish, but currently has no population due to historic issues which have now been addressed. Following this we also excavated the burrows to ensure no other water voles/fish move into these areas prior to our main works commencing.


8. How do you ensure their is no impact on the local ecology?

The works are timed to minimise negative impacts on ecology. Before the works start additional surveys are undertaken to confirm that there are no bat roosts within the trees. The works on scheme will be supervised by an ecologist at all times.


9. What will happen to the vegetation material that is removed?

We aim to reuse as much of the material on site, or within the local area, as much as conveniently possible. We aim to keep any larger trunks or branches on site, or stored locally to use as part of the landscaping of the scheme. It may be possible to use some of the wood as part of public art project. Some of the material will be turned into mulch for local groups to use in the local area. None of the material will go to waste.


10. What will the impacts on parking be?

During the duration of these works the Millstream Car Park (next to the coach park) will be closed to allow space for a site compound. This closure is likely to then continue to allow a compound space for the next stage of work.

Works are proposed within the Central Car Park along the River Avon between the point where the River Avon splits into two channels (to the south of the railway line) down to Avon Approach Bridge. To allow a safe working space, parking spaces will be temporarily removed along the river within the long stay car park.


11. What will the impacts on footpaths be?

To ensure public safety we will need to temporarily close public footpaths and cyclepaths adjacent to where work is being done. These will only be closed when works are in that area, and agreed signposted diversion routes will be set up. Staff will also be on site to assist members of the public.


12. What works are proposed next?

The main construction works started June 2022, with the majority of the works being completed during Summer and Autumn 2022. Some works will continue over into next winter 2023, with additional works planned for Summer and Autumn 2023. Completion for all works is expected to by December 2023. Take a look at our Scheme news and updates.

Page last updated: 16 Jun 2022, 01:43 PM