A NEW £10m development is hoping to bring the veteran and wider community of Wilton closer together.
Our Enterprise, in partnership with Redrow Homes and Wilton Community Land Trust, are well on the way to completing its apartments for veterans which will also house a coffee shop and training/ community space.
The project at Wilton Hill, which will also see a enterprise hub built, is being managed by Our Wilton.
Our Wilton operations manager Sue van Leest said: “It is about bringing the community together and providing positive opportunities for ex-serving personnel to be part of the regeneration of the area.”
The majority of work to the veterans accommodation has been completed and rooms are currently being fitted out.It is hoped veterans will be able to move in in early 2019.
There are 44 flats, 12 of which will be leased by Salisbury-based charity Alabare.
Work on the enterprise hub will start this autumn. The site will also have a nursery and care home.
The project has received funding from a number of organisations including Libor, ABF The Soldier’s Charity, The Armed Forces Covenant Fund and the Salisbury Diocesan Forces Welfare Trust as well as fundraising efforts from the local community and organisations.
Salisbury Armed Forces Veterans’ Breakfast Club have also supported the project over the past two years and offered advice.
However, Sue is keen to highlight the site will be open to the wider community, adding: “That is really important to us that the community don’t see it as just a veterans project. It is a community project with veterans at the core.”
She said the aim is to create an “integrated community”.
Our Enterprise partnered with Redrow Homes to buy the former Land Command site and building work on the veterans accommodation started at the end of May.
“We have had lots of support from Redrow Homes. It is the first time a housebuilder has taken on board the importance of delivering a mixed development and supported a ground-breaking project like this,” said Sue.
“We are delighted the community have been such a positive part of this journey with us and look forward to continued engagement with them.”
By Katy Griffin @journalupdate 24th July 2018