A FORMER quarry in Salisbury continues to be considered as a potential site for affordable housing, with hopes to create an "innovative new small community" with up to 400 houses.

Quidhampton Quarry, off Wilton Road, has been selected by the city council's neighbourhood development plan steering group as one potential site for new and affordable housing.

A drop-in session to discuss plans for the potential development with residents will be held next week.

Working on the development of the city since 2019, the group believes this brownfield site can help tackle its objectives to create more affordable housing for young people, generate cleaner neighbourhoods and introduce more green infrastructure.

Members say the site was a quarry more than 100 years ago, but now "sits derelict with no realistic prospect of being used or regenerated".  

"Previous plans to restore the site have fallen through and it looks like the current proposal to use the site for industry is also unrealistic," the group added.

"The neighbourhood plan is considering this site as a way to create an innovative new small community that is designed around recreational green space with an emphasis on community and home working.

"The current thought is that the site could provide 300 to 400 houses with a community hub and adventure trails that would be available to other communities to use, such as Bemerton Heath and Fisherton."

Despite wanting to use this space, the steering group has highlighted potential resident concerns, including a want to leave the site alone, traffic and accessibility.

As previously reported, Wiltshire Councillor Mark McClelland, himself a former Salisbury city councillor, "strongly opposed" the quarry proposal on the grounds it has already been rejected by Wiltshire Council officers.

"The negative transport impacts are significant, and it removes an option for a future bypass of Salisbury," he said.

However, the steering group believes the area "can provide much needed affordable housing for young families".

The drop-in session will be held on Wednesday, November 3, from 2pm until 7pm, at the Harlequins Football Club.

Here residents can share any thoughts they have about the proposal, including strengths, weaknesses and suggestions.

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