Cramped and congested: Salisbury's Churchfields industrial estate.THE future of Salisbury's cramped and congested Churchfields industrial estate was thrown into focus this week, as the district council revealed it is to hold a major consultation exercise on options for improving and developing the sprawling site.

Churchfields is currently south Wiltshire's biggest business centre, accommodating 161 companies with an estimated combined turnover of almost £600m.

But while, according to a survey, 57 per cent of the businesses say they are satisfied with the location and its premises, many are worried about the lack of room for expansion, poor access to the site and excessive congestion.

These are concerns compounded by growing opposition from residents and environmental groups to the £18m Harnham relief road and Brunel link, which would provide the business community's long-awaited direct route in and out of the estate.

There is also the lure of the new 160-acre Solstice Park development at Amesbury, which it is thought might tempt firms to quit Salisbury and relocate to a part of the district that has a better road network.

Already, long-established Salisbury company The Tintometer Ltd has confirmed it is leaving its home in Waterloo Road and switching to Solstice Park (see story on page 8).

Announcing its review of Churchfields, Salisbury district council said its economic team was looking into options and would be making recommendations to the council's cabinet in July - after which there would be full public consultation.

The council's new portfolio holder for planning and economic development, Margaret Peach, said: "Developing an options appraisal to help determine the best way forward for Churchfields is one of the council's three economic development priorities.

"Churchfields is the largest concentration of business activity in our area and the council is very aware of its important contribution to the local economy.

"Last year, our economic development team carried out an extensive review of Churchfields that will help to form the basis of the options appraisal.

"Their work will prove invaluable when we go out to consult people about the future of Churchfields later this year."

In a separate development, recently submitted a revised planning application for the Harnham relief road and Brunel link, which they say - if given the go-ahead - would reduce the level of heavy goods vehicles travelling through the city to the estate.

But the scheme, which would include a 400m viaduct across the River Nadder to Churchfields, is fiercely opposed by local people and groups such as Salisbury Transport 2000, Friends of the Earth and the south Wiltshire group of the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

They claim the proposals would sever Harnham from its surrounding countryside, pose an increased threat of flooding and damage the river.

Instead, the roads protesters have come up with their own vision for the future of Churchfields.

In a leaflet distributed to residents, they say: "Churchfields industrial estate is a highly valued employment area for Salisbury but it was built when environmental concerns were not a consideration.

"Unrestricted development has taken place, which is inappropriate to its location.

"Is it not time for a new vision for the estate, making the most of its beautiful location and proximity to the city centre and railway station?

"It would be an ideal location for a high-tech business park, bringing more employment to the city, for a hotel and conference centre with views across to the cathedral - or for housing development.

"Gradual relocation of HGV-generating businesses could start to change the nature of Churchfields in a really positive way."

Wiltshire county council has now extended the deadline for comment on the road schemes to June 3.