The Maltings and central car park

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Background
Vision Objective
Rationale
Proposals
Activity
 

Background:

The Maltings and Central Car Park site, covering some 9 hectares / 22.2 acres, is situated to the west of the city’s established retail centre. The southern part of the site predominantly comprises the Maltings shopping centre which includes a Sainsbury’s supermarket and adjacent two level decked parking (600 spaces), and a number of small retail units. To the north is the Central Car Park, a surface car park offering 1008 spaces. To the north east is a city coach park. Public open space, including a children's play area, runs along the eastern boundary together with the whole of the central channel of the River Avon and the Summerlock Stream and their banks.

Land at the Maltings is considered crucial to the viability and vitality of Salisbury city centre. The Maltings shopping area, as it exists today, does not make the best use of its prime city centre location. It relates poorly to the remainder of the main retail area, and offers the visitor a misleading and generally disappointing first impression of Salisbury as well as a poor shopping experience.

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Vision Objective:

Develop a major retail-led mixed use scheme to greatly enhance Salisbury’s position as a sub-regional shopping and cultural centre.

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Rationale:

  • To enhance Salisbury as a sub-regional shopping centre by the provision of additional large retail premises for multiple retailers
  • To make better use of this strategic site
  • To increase local economic development potential and improve shopper numbers
  • To help fund other projects within the Vision and maintain a significant parking revenue stream
  • To facilitate a better link through to the Market Place

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Proposals:

The original proposals for the Maltings and Central Car Park site within the Salisbury Vision included the following objectives:

  • Include within a redeveloped Maltings and central car park area:
    • An opened up Market Walk creating a strong link between the new development and the Market Place, but retaining the listed façade.
    • A high quality landscape setting for the new development with enhancement of the River Avon and Millstream edges.
  • The establishment of a cultural hub by:
    • improving or replacing the City Hall
    • improving the setting, appearance of and access to the Playhouse
    • providing an associated outdoor performance area
    • relocating the library

These objectives helped to inform the inclusion of the site within the South Wiltshire Core Strategy, and establish a policy context for the Vision’s goals for this site.

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Activity:

An independent development feasibility study of the Maltings and central car park was carried out in 2008 for Salisbury District Council. The purpose of the study was to examine the potential of the Maltings and central car park site for development, as proposed in the Vision, to act as major stimulus to the regeneration of the city centre. The feasibility study was carried out by a multi-disciplinary team led by Alder King, property consultants. The study included an assessment of the following issues.

  • Identification of key issues, constraints and implications arising from any such redevelopment;
  • An appraisal of the potential capital values, receipts and costs;
  • Advice on potential development options;
  • Advice on a potential mix of uses; and
  • Identification of potential occupiers

The feasibility study has established that under stable market conditions a retail led redevelopment of the site is viable.

This work provided the context for the inclusion of the site within the South Wiltshire Core Strategy and informed its assessment by the Inspector at the Examination in Public of the Core Strategy in the spring of 2010.

Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet on the 23rd February 2010 reaffirmed its commitment to progressing with the Maltings and Central Car Park project and approved the approach proposed by the Salisbury Vision Team.

Briefs were then developed for the appointment of commercial and legal advisers to provide support in the pre-marketing assessment of the development opportunity and the subsequent marketing of the site leading to the selection of a development partner. 

Subject to the outcome of the appropriate development procurement route, a development partner is expected to be in place by summer 2011.

Salisbury Vision and its partners have now progressed to marketing.

Beyond this the Vision and its partners will work with the appointed development partner to progress a detailed planning proposal for the site to deliver the project.

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