Construction work has commenced at Salisbury River Park.

The project will better protect homes and businesses in the city from flooding along with making improvements to the environment.

This £27 million transformational scheme aims to reduce flood risk to over 350 homes and businesses in Salisbury. It will also create 2 hectares of enhanced riverside habitat for the benefit of wildlife, remove obstructions to allow fish migration to continue upstream and create 13 hectares of high quality public open space. Another benefit will be enhanced foot and cycle paths that benefit residents and visitors.

The Salisbury River Park project is a collaboration between the Environment Agency, Wiltshire Council, Salisbury City Council and Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

In the initial stages of work, the River Avon channel in the Central Car Park will be dewatered to enable work to start in the river channel. Excavation work will also start in Central Car Park and Fisherton Recreation Ground. A temporary play area will be built in Ashley Road Open Space. Foundation works will also commence at Ashley Road for the construction of a flood defence wall.

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Works will also start this month to relocate the allotment shop on Fisherton Recreation Ground. This is initially being moved into some temporary buildings at Fisherton Farm allotments on the opposite side of Fisherton Recreation Ground, until a decision is made on a more permanent building. This will involve the existing gate entrance being widened to allow the buildings to be delivered.

Once the allotment shop has been relocated, Salisbury City Council will repurpose the allotment shop and existing toilets into a concession stand and fully accessible toilets, which will include baby change facilities and a changing places toilet (which provides a changing bench, hoist and enough space for a carer). This investment will provide facilities that will ensure that every member of our community can enjoy the new River Park when completed.

The works will continue to impact on Central Car Park as parking spaces will be temporarily removed to allow space for a site compound and to ensure public safety. Several footpaths and cycle paths will be diverted, where they are adjacent to the works, and reopened whenever it is safe to do so. Diversions will be clearly marked and staff will be on site to provide assistance. The scheme, once completed, will provide major improvements to the footpaths and cycle paths in the area.