HALT HARNHAM HOUSEBUILDING
We are Halt Harnham Housebuilding
The story so far...
Halt Harnham Housebuilding was formed after two new sites, adjacent to Coombe Road, were unexpectedly added to the draft Council Local Plan in July 2023. We believe these sites were included at the last minute, without proper consultation or consideration, merely to avoid delaying the Local Plan process—not because they are suitable development locations.
Our community submitted 2,800+ objections to the inclusion of these sites in the Local Plan. Unfortunately, the Council did not address these concerns, nor those raised by other organisations, and has proceeded to include these sites in the draft Local Plan. This plan is being sent to the Government Planning Inspectors this year for public examination, probably around May, next year.
The upcoming examination will be our community's last opportunity to raise objections.
Our Mission
“Protecting valuable green spaces and farming land and only supporting development that is necessary, economic, sustainable, and community led”
We are mobilising the community through petitions and lobbying activities, and collaborating with other groups opposed to Wiltshire Council's development plan for Salisbury.
We are preparing to prove Wiltshire Council’s plans are “unsound”.
We are commissioning expert planning and legal advice to provide compelling evidence to show that WC has failed to properly consider the environmental, traffic, and infrastructure impacts of development on these sites.
We will submit evidence to show that Wiltshire Council has neglected to consider more suitable and sustainable ‘brownfield’ and ‘windfall sites’, and that it has failed to properly assess the housing needs for Salisbury, or Salisbury’s own locally developed Neighbourhood Development Plan.
Wiltshire Council must prioritise redeveloping brownfield and windfall sites, including its own properties, before allowing greenfield land to be lost. Redeveloping sites like Churchfields Industrial Estate and vacant city-centre retail spaces can meet Salisbury’s housing needs without harming precious habitats.
We demand that the traffic, environmental impact, and increased strain on essential services from the proposed Harnham homes be thoroughly assessed using current and projected data, considering the effects of existing developments on Netherhampton Road.
We seek to protect the unique character and identity of the villages of Harnham from urban sprawl, and from rat-run rush hour congestion.
We will hold Wiltshire Council accountable to ensure that the site selection and housing allocation for Sites 8 and 9 are thoroughly researched, independently validated, and democratically consulted, not included for convenience or political gain.
In the face of environmental, economic, and infrastructure crises, we urge everyone to oppose Wiltshire Council's decision to let Wilton Estate and a luxury developer profit from Salisbury’s greenbelt, sacrificing the communities and wildlife of Harnham and South Salisbury.
The housing needs of Salisbury's residents can and must be met more creatively, quickly, sensitively, and appropriately than this.
But first, we must Halt Harnham Housebuilding!
