New nature reserve to open at former farm

The site will soon be opened to the public and includes riverside walks

A new nature reserve is set to open at a former farm after a large community fundraiser.

Broken Bridges Nature Reserve Ltd (BBNR), a non-profit organisation, raised £250,000 in two years to transform the 33-acre site in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Maintenance work has to be completed on some fences and bridges before the land, known locally as Broken Bridges, close to the Churchfields industrial estate, is opened to the public.

Jeremy Nettle, BBNR chair, said it had been a "really hard slog", but that the nature reserve was now a reality due to the "magnificent support of so many people".

The sale completes a 17-year ambition by campaigners, who first launched their misssion to turn the redundant farm into a reserve in 2008.

Charity bosses were then informed they needed to raise £250,000 in November 2023, when the land was put up for sale.

Despite that support, Mr Nettle said securing funding for the project had been difficult.

"We eventually got funds from Salisbury City Council and we've had donations from one or two individuals, as well as the trickle feed of people wanting to donate. So we've been very fortunate," he said.

Mr Nettle said people "were ecstatic" the nature reserve will be opening soon

He added that the reaction from the community had been overwhelmingly positive.

"We've had several emails in already and they were ecstatic.

"The problem with the land is that theoretically, it could never be built on, but we've seen so many developments around Salisbury that people said they wouldn't be able to build on.

"So I'm really pleased that now this land has been bought by the community of Salisbury," he said.