More medical sites needed rather than Old Sarum homes, says nurse
Laverstock and Ford Parish Councillor Lainey Barker is objecting to the Old Sarum Airfield plans
A South Wiltshire nurse and Parish Councillor says plans for over 300 new homes at Old Sarum Airfield bring the local area no benefits.
Laverstock and Ford Parish Councillor Lainey Barker is objecting to the plans, which were also rejected by Wiltshire Council last August, as local infrastructure is already being overwhelmed.
An appeal was made last October and the plans are subject to a planning inquest in Salisbury this week, which will determine if they can proceed or not.
Cllr Barker told Greatest Hits Radio that her patients, many of whom are elderly and don't drive, face great difficulty in reaching her practice and getting appointments, with further new developments only increasing the pressure on NHS facilities.
"In Old Sarum, Longhedge and Ford, we have no GP practices, no pharmacies and no dentists. We don't even have enough in Salisbury to cope," she said.
Cllr Barker added that local bus services are helping to get people around, but some bus stops don't have shelter or seating for older passengers and that, despite the hard work of NHS staff, they're still understaffed and lack space.
"The last thing we want to do is overburden those practises any more than they already are, and we don't want people moving into the area who need help and can't access it. It's just not sensible," she told us.
Cllr Barker spoke earlier this week at the planning inquiry to raise her concerns.
Historical site needs protecting
The Old Sarum site helped British efforts during both World War 1 and World War 2.
Cllr Barker told us families of those who flew from Old Sarum feel the site needs protecting.
She said squadrons from Old Sarum supported the D-Day landings in 1944, with biplanes flying over enemy territory to relay information of enemy artillery positioning to allied forces.
Sadly, many who flew from Old Sarum didn't return and some of those who did, passed away shortly after due to their injuries.
Cllr Barker added that the site is also a conservation area, and is one of very few of it's type remaining in Britain.
"The whole of the airfield perimeter is practically intact, which is unheard of," she said, adding: "It's one of only three World War One grass strip airfields left in the country.
"So it's not only Salisbury's national heritage, it's also our country's national heritage."
No affordable homes
If the plans were to be given the green light, 315 new homes could be built on the site.
But Cllr Barker said the homes would have a small market: "Unfortunately this development is not going to have any affordable homes. In fact, when I was at the appeal yesterday, I was told that these were high end homes. The ordinary people in the street aren't going to be able to afford these homes."
She said that the Parish Council isn't against development, but blasted the plans for going against 'everything we stand for', telling us: "We do not see that this development is going to help our area in any way."
The airfield's owners say the housing development is needed to protect the site's long-term viability.