Salisbury City Council Awards £50,000 for Broken Bridges Nature Reserve Acquisition

A city council has allocated £50,000 to a group that intends to acquire 35 acres of natural land to establish a nature reserve. This well-known location in Salisbury, referred to by residents as Broken Bridges, was previously part of a farm and is situated within the River Avon Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Having been designated an asset of community value, a not-for-profit organization has reached an agreement on the purchase price with the current owner and is actively seeking to secure £250,000 for the acquisition of the property. With this recent financial contribution, the group’s fundraising efforts have surpassed £200,000. Jeremy Nettle, who chairs the Broken Bridges Community Interest Company, described this development as “a tremendous step forward”. Following the successful purchase of the land, plans are in place to upgrade existing paths, install new fencing, and implement measures to support local wildlife. Situated between Bemerton and Harnham, the parcel of land lies on the water meadows and encompasses a public footpath. During a meeting held this week, Salisbury City Council voted to allocate funds from its Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) towards the acquisition. This levy is collected by the council from developers undertaking significant construction projects and is restricted from being used for routine operational expenses. “This is a tremendous step forward and we wish to thank both the council and all the people and groups in the community that have made donations,” stated Mr Nettle. Mr Nettle, who also serves as a city councillor, further commented: “This is a huge demonstration of the public support for bringing this much-loved area into community ownership.” He clarified that these funds would enable the group to “unlock” additional financial contributions from Wiltshire Council. Furthermore, members of the public have contributed £80,000 through donations. Mr Nettle concluded: “It is a green lung giving people access to nature whilst working to improve the much-needed access between Churchfields, the Railway Station and the new housing developments on Netherhampton Road.”