Areas and projects across the South West have been given direct funding and support in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget.
A press release claimed: ‘Salisbury River Park will benefit from the £5.2 billion flood and coastal defence programme announced in last year’s budget and will start in April this year.
Seven schemes are planned to help protect more than 3,700 homes from flooding, including 70 in Salisbury’.
In this month’s issue of New Valley News, Salisbury MP and Business Minister John Glen expressed his enthusiasm for the scheme.
Under the headline ‘Green green space for the city’s heart’, he wrote: “The creation of a brand new green space for the heart of the city is proceeding full steam ahead. The new River Park will form a green spine through the city, not only reducing flood risk to thousands of residents and businesses but also beautifying the riverbank and creating new space for recreation in under-used areas of The Maltings.
“Increasingly, people of all ages – but particularly the young – want to come into the city centre to eat and drink, meet friends and pass the time in pleasant surroundings.
“The River Park is the first of many steps towards creating a city centre that offers – not just facilities – but also experiences.
“I look forward to re-visiting ambitions to enhance the built assets of Salisbury’s wonderful cultural organisations …..”