What we do

Celebrating our Heritage, Enhancing our Environment, Shaping our Future

Salisbury is a vibrant cathedral city, surrounded by the beautiful countryside and villages of South Wiltshire. People visit it or decide to live here because it is a welcoming community, working and trading in a marvellous historic setting. The challenges today are to maintain those attractive qualities and yet accommodate ongoing changes in population, lifestyle, and the economy.

The Salisbury Civic Society, founded in 1960, works to promote high standards of contemporary design in all aspects of the built environment within Salisbury and South Wiltshire, whilst safeguarding the historic buildings and landscape setting underpinning the area’s special character.

Over the years, the role of the Society has expanded. Today, it is not only the principal local organisation and guardian for the built environment, but also celebrates and promotes the area’s rich heritage & cultural life through a stimulating programme of activities..

Salisbury falls under two authorities, created in 2009, Salisbury City Council and Wiltshire Council. We are able to contribute effectively in many areas and are represented on several groups including the Salisbury Conservation Advisory Panel. We also have a good working relationship with Wiltshire Council, Salisbury City Council and Campaign to Protect Rural England. As a non-political organisation, the Society tries to maintain an independent stance on all matters.

Through a series of awards, talks, forums, open meetings, visits and our website we promote and provide information on the architecture, history and geography of the area.

Amongst the many activities of the Society we:

Monitor and constructively comment on planning applications and development proposals
Run an active and stimulating programme of events for members and the public
Publish a Quarterly magazine for members
Maintain our involvement with the successor body to the Salisbury Vision and its project
Protect and celebrate the traditional chequer names
Run a prestigious new buildings and conservation awards scheme
Organise the annual Salisbury Historic Open Days and the Salisbury Blue Plaques scheme celebrating our outstanding built
environment and heritage
Promote the economic vitality of the region

We welcome new members of all ages and backgrounds
Aims

to celebrate & commemorate the area’s rich heritage & cultural life
to enhance & protect the built environment & landscape setting of the area
to encourage & promote high standards of design, management & maintenance