South Wiltshire Core Strategy - Wiltshire Council

4.10(c) Sport, Leisure and Recreation
There is a shortfall of recreational open space across south Wiltshire. There is also
pressure from development on both formal and informal open space, especially in
Salisbury and Amesbury 36 .
4.11 The challenge of climate change
This presents a tough challenge for south Wiltshire. The predominantly rural
character of the area often makes access to a range of services extremely difficult
and increases reliance on the private motor car. This in turn can have a major impact
on CO 2 emissions which are the main greenhouse gas that contributes to climate
change. These emissions can also have an impact on air quality particularly in the
urban area of Salisbury city centre. As well as providing more sustainable transport
choices, there is a necessity to facilitate the increased use of renewable and low
carbon energy sources. Together these can go some way towards reducing south
Wiltshire’s dependency on fossil fuels. Enabling this type of development has to be
balanced against the challenge of protecting the high quality of the built and natural
environment. Ensuring that development is resilient to the effects of climate change
is also important. Measures are needed to safeguard water quality and reduce water
consumption and deal with increased flood risk 37 .
4.12 Tackling infrastructure barriers to delivering growth
A major challenge is ensuring that infrastructure is adequate to support the level of
growth required to meet local needs 38 . Key infrastructure challenges for the area are:
• Congestion and safety problems on the major transport corridors of the A303 and
A350
• Pressure on the Salisbury ring road
• How to provide meaningful alternative transport choices to the private motor car
• Added pressures on the sewage network around Salisbury
• Increased phosphate levels in the local watercourses.
• Ensuring adequate water supply.
• Ensuring that the emergency services can respond adequately to new areas of
growth.
• Addressing the additional demand for healthcare in Salisbury
• Added pressures on school capacity.
• How to provide renewable energy either on or near new development sites.
4.13 Conclusions and Next Steps
This chapter has set out the key challenges that the evidence-based approach has
highlighted as facing south Wiltshire, now and in the future. The remainder of this
Strategy will set out how, through a delivery focussed approach, these barriers can
be overcome to allow progress towards a shared vision of where south Wiltshire will
be in 20 years time.
36 Salisbury District Council Open Space Study by PMP, July 2007 - Executive Summary pages i to iv
37 See Topic Paper 1, 'Climate Change' & first and second addenda thereto.
38 See Topic Paper 17, 'Infrastructure'
22