Harnham Water Meadows

Please click one of the links below to read the specific parts of the project

Activity
Background
Vision Objective
Proposals
Rationale

Activity:

Harnham Water Meadows Trust manage the meadows. To find out about their activities and latest news go to http://www.salisburywatermeadows.org.uk/

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Background:

Harnham Water meadows are located half a mile from the city centre to the west of Salisbury. They incorporate a surviving part of the irrigation system once widespread across Wessex chalkland. The water meadows are part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and are an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA).

The meadows are jointly owned by the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral and the Harnham Water Meadows Trust. The tasks of the Trust are to manage the meadows as a single entity and to restore historic irrigation structures, all consistent with the modern requirements of an SSSI.

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Vision Objective:

Improve and increase access to the historic water meadows and provide learning and educational facilities whilst ensuring their continued conservation

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Proposals:

  • Work with the Harnham Water Meadows Trust and others to increase and improve access to the Harnham Water Meadows. This could include;
    • raised boardwalks, bird hides and viewing platforms for people to use as part of the learning experience. These should be sensitively designed given the proximity to the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
    • new controlled access points from Town Path and Churchfields supported by interpretative signage that explains the purpose and content of the water meadows
  • Work with the Harnham Water Meadows Trust to provide a learning/education/information centre that will provide a focus for people interested in the water meadows and act as a point of information
  • Work with the Harnham Water Meadows Trust to investigate the possibility of creating a small urban farm both as an educational resource, local attraction and where produce can be grown and sold locally
  • Improve and enhance the Town Path
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Rationale:

  • To provide people with an opportunity for learning more about bio-diversity, wildlife and ecology
  • To encourage a greater understanding of the historic water meadows
  • To increase the city’s tourism potential

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