Petition to register Grosvenor House as Asset of Community Value

Grosvenor and Riverside House, on Churchfields Road, was a children’s home in the 1950s, and a youth and community centre from the 1970s.

The petition seeks to cancel the current sale of the property, and to "forbid it from being redeveloped into residential housing and instead permit Rise Resound Rebuild CIC to renovate the property into a Cultural Hub for Salisbury".

Rise Resound Rebuild (R3), is a Salisbury founded social enterprise that aims to renovate Grosvenor & Riverside House into a "cultural hub for the city that reinvests its profits into the community - be that schools, businesses or infrastructure".

Grosvenor House. Picture by Spencer Mulholland

Under R3's plans, the property would include a garden, restaurant, café, crèche, studios, studies, and grocery store.

It would be: "A place where local people teach local people, that enhances our connection to the natural environment and each other, and supports healthy community growth.

"The biodiversity of the garden will underpin the whole project as a source of food, education and therapy while also showcasing the beauty of the river Nadder and cathedral for the whole community to share".

The petition adds: "This property is special and unique to Salisbury's residents for its historic purpose, location, access to the river, and size that can deliver the proposed Cultural Hub.

"It is in the interest of the people of Salisbury, and south Wiltshire, that this property remain an Asset of Community Value".

Grosvenor House. Picture by Spencer Mulholland

MP for Salisbury John Glen said he was "very pleased" to throw his support behind the "exciting and ambitious proposal".

He added: "As with all such matters, it also has to work from the perspective of Wiltshire Council as the current owner of the property.

"I understand that a decision on the building becoming an Asset of Community Value will be made next month and I look forward to seeing the outcome of that process.”

Councillor Richard Clewer, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Corporate Services said: “We will be contacting the petitioners to arrange a suitable date to hold a virtual meeting with them as soon as possible to explain the processes for Asset of Community Value , how the decision is made and timescales, as well the council’s policy in relation to Community Asset Transfer”.

For more information on the petition, click here and for more information on Rise, Resound and Rebuild, click here.

Get more Salisbury news.

You can also like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date.

Email newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk with your comments, pictures, letters and news stories.