WORK costing hundreds of thousands of pounds is set to begin in Culver Street car park next year, in a bid to improve facilities at the site and deter drink and drug users.

Confirmed by Councillor Paul Sample, the £500,000 worth of structural work will begin in January 2022.

On top of this, some work has already started in the car park, including the installation of an iron gate, studs and rumble strips.

READ MORE: What is being done at Culver Street car park, and how much will it cost?

Work begins in Culver Street car park, Salisbury

Work begins in Culver Street car park, Salisbury

Cllr Sample, who is Wiltshire and Salisbury councillor for the area, said the features recently installed were part of plans to "discourage anti-social behaviour", adding the gate near the top floor aims to make the area "less attractive to skateboarders".

Noting the success of the gate and rumble strips so far, he said: "The city council hasn’t received any complaints about noise in recent months and neither has Wiltshire Council’s anti social behaviour officer."

Work begins in Culver Street car park, Salisbury - Wiltshire Councillor Paul Sample

Work begins in Culver Street car park, Salisbury - Wiltshire Councillor Paul Sample

He added: "The police supported [the installation of the gate], which is important when making crime prevention improvements in the city.

"[The new gate] intends to make the car park less attractive to 'boy racers', who were driving dangerously around the car park and doing doughnuts on the top floor."

Work begins in Culver Street car park, Salisbury

Work begins in Culver Street car park, Salisbury

During the next stage of work, residents can expect to see scaffolding in the car park, as well as improvements made to the stairwells.

This is to make the stairwells "less attractive to street drinkers and drug dealers", Cllr Sample added.

Residents had flagged Culver Street car park issues to the Salisbury St Edmund's councillor, including noise from skateboarders, drug dealing in the stairwells and women feeling unsafe when using the car park.

Work begins in Culver Street car park, Salisbury

Work begins in Culver Street car park, Salisbury

The Journal understands money was put aside for Culver Street car park refurbishments as part of the People Friendly Streets scheme last year.

After this project was pulled however, the £1.3million funding was redirected to a Cyber Centre project in Chippenham.

Looking ahead, Cllr Sample said: "I guess the next job is to find a use for the unused top floor that doesn’t upset the neighbours.

"I’ve suggested that council use it to create an EV Charging Hub for the growing number of electric car drivers."

Cllr Atiqul Hoque added: "I'm delighted to see after many months of me lobbying, Wiltshire Council has allocated the funds and agreed to spend the money to address the concerns. This is very much welcomed and needed.

"I must point out, that most of the money will be spent for structural and improvement works, with the remaining funds aimed at stopping the anti-social behaviour issues that were raised by residents to me.

"I would like to thank police, Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council officers for working together to deliver this positive outcome."

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