There is no doubt that Salisbury provides a social and physical environment and a quality of life that is much envied and sought after.

Built around the meeting place of five rivers, Salisbury is a beautiful medieval city set in outstanding countryside. Salisbury has an unemployment rate that is one of the lowest in the country, and it is popular as a place both to live and work. The city has good connections to the national road and motorway network, and excellent rail links to London.

Salisbury is an important centre in the south west of England. It is:

• a tourism destination of international significance;
• a business centre of regional importance;
• a sub-regional centre for retail, culture, housing and further education; and
• the centre of the Salisbury Diocese which covers most of Wiltshire and Dorset.

Nothing stands still, however.

Retail competition is increasing with new developments in Southampton, Bournemouth, Basingstoke, Andover and Winchester. Neighbouring towns and cities are also providing improved leisure and cultural opportunities whilst a lack of employment land close to the city threatens to restrict the growth and expansion of our local businesses. And our tourism industry continues to be challenged by low-cost airlines and newly developing domestic markets.

House prices are higher than the regional and national average whilst salaries are lower. People find it hard to get on the housing ladder and employers have difficulty in recruiting across a wide range of jobs and skills.

If we don’t tackle these issues now there is a real danger that Salisbury will go into a spiral of decline that will be much harder to get out of in the future.

Clearly something needs to be done and big decisions need to be made if Salisbury is to maintain its position as one of the south west’s premier centres for business, tourism, and retail. We need to make plans now if we want Salisbury to remain a pleasant and prosperous place where our children’s children want, and are able, to live and work.

See our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page for more information on the Vision and its development.