A NEW courthouse providing Salisbury with a modern magistrates' court as well as crown and county courts, is to be built off Wilton Road it was revealed this week.

The new court complex is to be built on the existing car park opposite the Old Manor Hospital's main entrance at a cost of between £8m and £10m.

Work is likely to start early next year with completion in 2005/6.

The Lord Chancellor's Courts Minister, Yvette Cooper, made the announcement on Monday, ending years of speculation and uncertainty.

The decision to build a multi-purpose justice centre in the south of Wiltshire means the closure of both Trowbridge and Devizes magistrates' courts.

The Minister said the new courthouse, with its combined crown and county court facilities will be "tailor-made" for the needs of people in the 21st century with "excellent facilities for victims, witnesses and the disabled."

Paul Wilcock, Justices' Chief Executive for Wiltshire described it as "excellent news."

Mr Wilcock added: "For much too long the public has had to suffer wholly inadequate facilities. So bad that certain types of cases have had to be heard elsewhere and even outside the county."