Why do we need the scheme?
There is a high level of flood risk in Salisbury which is expected to increase due to climate change.
Communities upstream and downstream of Salisbury are at risk from flooding from four main watercourses that converge in the city. These four rivers are the River Avon, River Wylye, River Bourne and River Nadder.
Salisbury Cathedral 1915
The main proportion of properties at risk are within the centre of Salisbury, where the River Avon flows in from the north.
High groundwater levels is a further factor increasing flood risk in some areas.
Water Lane 1915 
Fisherton Street 1915
Flood risk
The plan below highlights areas at risk of flooding in Salisbury. You can download a flood map for your postcode area by going to: https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/
Areas highlighted as being in Flood Zone 3 are at high risk. In these areas the land is assessed as having a 1 in 100 chance or greater annual probability of river flooding (>1%).
The six main areas at risk from flooding from the river are:
- Areas upstream from the city centre
- Ashley Road
- The Maltings and Central Car Park area
- Cathedral/The Friary
- Southampton Road
- Mill Road
Flood map for Salisbury (extract from Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning available online at
https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/
Aerial photograph of Salisbury Cathedral and the surrounding area
There are 378 properties (264 homes and 114 non-residential, including commercial units) in central Salisbury currently at risk of flooding from the river in a 1 in 100 year flood event (in Flood Zone 3).
Future climate change scenarios predict that the number of properties at risk could rise to 580 (372 homes and 208 non-residential) by the 2080s.
Image caption
Other parts of our infrastructure are at risk of flooding, such as the A36. The A36 is a key strategic trunk road linking Salisbury to Bath, Trowbridge and Warminster in the north-west and Southampton/M27 in the south-east.
The most recent significant river flood event occurred in 2014, with 20 properties flooded internally, and significant disruption due to flooding of infrastructure.
Image caption
This event highlighted that only a small further increase in flood levels would result in a significant increase in the number of properties flooded. Further works are therefore required to manage the flood risk to properties and infrastructure in the centre of Salisbury.
Developing the options
We have developed the proposed scheme in alignment with national guidance on flood risk management. We have summarised how we developed the options below:
The engagement and consultation journey
Image from previous consultation
We consulted with stakeholders between October 2019 and May 2020 to gain feedback and valuable input to the proposals. Stakeholders we have consulted with include:
• Environment Agency specialists and local officers
• Wiltshire Council specialists
• Salisbury City Council local officers
• Statutory consultees including Natural England and Historic England
• Local Planning Authority: Wiltshire Council
• Environmental stakeholders including Salisbury Greenspace Partnership, Wessex Rivers Trust, Salisbury and District Angling Club, Woodland Trust
• General public
We last consulted with the public on the project proposals in April and December 2019, and in January 2020. We have used feedback from these earlier consultation events to develop the preferred scheme.
The table below shows how we have incorporated stakeholder feedback into the preferred scheme details.
Link to You Said We Did project tile here – Corinna to supply
Survey and information gathering
We have carried out a number of surveys and assessments to inform the development of the options and the identification of the preferred option. The surveys and assessments undertaken include:
• Flood risk assessments
• Property flood threshold surveys for selected properties
• River modelling
• Topographical / landscape survey to support river modelling
• Tree Survey
• Habitat and Protected Species Surveys
• Cultural Heritage Assessment and associated geophysical survey
• Ground investigations
Identifying a preferred option
By following this appraisal process, using information gathered from surveys and consulting with stakeholders we have identified a preferred scheme which is what you see here.
The preferred scheme focuses on two of the main areas at risk of flooding:
• Ashley Road and Fisherton Recreation Ground
• The Maltings and Central Car Park areas
The remaining four areas at risk of flooding will only require flood resilience measures such as individual property protection.
Click here to read more about the preferred scheme.
Why do we need the scheme?
There is a high level of flood risk in Salisbury which is expected to increase due to climate change.
Communities upstream and downstream of Salisbury are at risk from flooding from four main watercourses that converge in the city. These four rivers are the River Avon, River Wylye, River Bourne and River Nadder.
Salisbury Cathedral 1915
The main proportion of properties at risk are within the centre of Salisbury, where the River Avon flows in from the north.
High groundwater levels is a further factor increasing flood risk in some areas.
Water Lane 1915 Fisherton Street 1915
Flood risk
The plan below highlights areas at risk of flooding in Salisbury. You can download a flood map for your postcode area by going to: https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/
Areas highlighted as being in Flood Zone 3 are at high risk. In these areas the land is assessed as having a 1 in 100 chance or greater annual probability of river flooding (>1%).
The six main areas at risk from flooding from the river are:
- Areas upstream from the city centre
- Ashley Road
- The Maltings and Central Car Park area
- Cathedral/The Friary
- Southampton Road
- Mill Road
Flood map for Salisbury (extract from Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning available online at
https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/
Aerial photograph of Salisbury Cathedral and the surrounding area
There are 378 properties (264 homes and 114 non-residential, including commercial units) in central Salisbury currently at risk of flooding from the river in a 1 in 100 year flood event (in Flood Zone 3).
Future climate change scenarios predict that the number of properties at risk could rise to 580 (372 homes and 208 non-residential) by the 2080s.
Image caption
Other parts of our infrastructure are at risk of flooding, such as the A36. The A36 is a key strategic trunk road linking Salisbury to Bath, Trowbridge and Warminster in the north-west and Southampton/M27 in the south-east.
The most recent significant river flood event occurred in 2014, with 20 properties flooded internally, and significant disruption due to flooding of infrastructure.
Image caption
This event highlighted that only a small further increase in flood levels would result in a significant increase in the number of properties flooded. Further works are therefore required to manage the flood risk to properties and infrastructure in the centre of Salisbury.
Developing the options
We have developed the proposed scheme in alignment with national guidance on flood risk management. We have summarised how we developed the options below:
The engagement and consultation journey
Image from previous consultation
We consulted with stakeholders between October 2019 and May 2020 to gain feedback and valuable input to the proposals. Stakeholders we have consulted with include:
• Environment Agency specialists and local officers
• Wiltshire Council specialists
• Salisbury City Council local officers
• Statutory consultees including Natural England and Historic England
• Local Planning Authority: Wiltshire Council
• Environmental stakeholders including Salisbury Greenspace Partnership, Wessex Rivers Trust, Salisbury and District Angling Club, Woodland Trust
• General public
We last consulted with the public on the project proposals in April and December 2019, and in January 2020. We have used feedback from these earlier consultation events to develop the preferred scheme.
The table below shows how we have incorporated stakeholder feedback into the preferred scheme details.
Link to You Said We Did project tile here – Corinna to supply
Survey and information gathering
We have carried out a number of surveys and assessments to inform the development of the options and the identification of the preferred option. The surveys and assessments undertaken include:
• Flood risk assessments
• Property flood threshold surveys for selected properties
• River modelling
• Topographical / landscape survey to support river modelling
• Tree Survey
• Habitat and Protected Species Surveys
• Cultural Heritage Assessment and associated geophysical survey
• Ground investigations
Identifying a preferred option
By following this appraisal process, using information gathered from surveys and consulting with stakeholders we have identified a preferred scheme which is what you see here.
The preferred scheme focuses on two of the main areas at risk of flooding:
• Ashley Road and Fisherton Recreation Ground
• The Maltings and Central Car Park areas
The remaining four areas at risk of flooding will only require flood resilience measures such as individual property protection.
Click here to read more about the preferred scheme.
