News
Planning Application on hold
The application to develop Leaden Hall and build and archive will not be heard until after September 2026. The Grade I building continues to deteriorate. The Leaden Hall proposal has yet to be heard by
Salisbury Cathedral’s January Update
This update, posted to Salisbury Cathedral's own website, neglects to mention or address several concerns put forward in the comments surrounding their controversial planning application. The precious walled kitchen garden which will be severed by
Failed by Historic England – again
For many months garden historians have been lobbying to get the grounds of Grade I Leaden Hall added to the register of parks and gardens. The grounds still contain the framework of a planned landscape
Salisbury Dean & Chapter causing delays
Once again Salisbury Dean & Chapter is causing delays to a decision on their injurious application to turn Leaden Hall on Salisbury Cathedral Close into a C21st office block for their own use, and to
City Council U-Turn on Objection Despite no Relevant Changes in Proposals.
At last night's Salisbury City Council meeting, in the face of robust evidence being supplied to inform the City Council's decision to maintain its objections, and despite several councillors raising very valid concerns, the final
SCC discussing Leaden Hall Feb 16th
Salisbury City Council will be discussing the Leaden Hall plans at their meeting on February 16th, following meetings with the Dean & Chapter. Previously, the City Council objected to this harmful scheme. They recognised
Planning Meeting Cancelled – Again
The February Southern Area Planning Committee meeting has been cancelled (second month in a row). The next possible date for a discussion and decision on Leaden Hall is March 19th. Details from the council website:
Consultation process reopening
Salisbury Dean and Chapter added yet more documents to the application on January 14th. The extra documents don't amend the scheme, nor mitigate any of the harm proposed, they merely try to justify the harm
More material added to planning application may give objectors more time
Last week Salisbury Dean & Chapter added more material to the planning application. We are going through those new documents now, and will update you on this site shortly. The Council's planning team has to
Planning Committee meeting scheduled for Jan 22nd has been cancelled
The Planning Committee meeting scheduled for Jan 22nd has been cancelled. Next possible date will be February 12th. Please SIGN the petition now, to get as many of your voices heard as possible. We have
Planning application could be considered 22nd January – SIGN THE PETITION NOW
On 11th December Salisbury Dean & Chapter cancelled a scheduled meeting with Salisbury City Council at short notice. The meeting had been arranged to enable the Dean & Chapter to clarify its plans for Leaden
Press
Salisbury & Avon Gazette – 22/01/26
Read the article here, with comments on the eco-friendly benefits of heat pumps and solar panels proposed at Leaden Hall. This comment fails to address the flooding concerns on the solar panels' proposed location, the
Salisbury City Council Overturns Leaden Hall Decision
Article published by Salisbury Journal on 19/02/26. The consequences of Salisbury City Council's choice to support the Leaden Hall development could be great - join our campaign to raise awareness of the damage this proposal
Salisbury City Council to discuss Leaden Hall redevelopment
From the Salisbury Journal: SALISBURY City Council is bracing for a significant public turnout when its Planning Committee convenes to discuss the highly contentious redevelopment plans for Leaden Hall, the Grade I listed former school building in
Flooding around Leaden Hall
There has been extensive press coverage for floods in Salisbury, around the site for the proposed new archive building, next to Leaden Hall - for example "Council issues warning as flood risks remain in place"
13th December 2025 – The Telegraph – Cathedral plan will destroy Constable view
‘Cathedral plan will destroy Constable view: Row over application by Church to turn Leaden Hall, feature of many of his paintings, into offices’ by Fiona Parker, Senior News Reporter (p.10, main section) The article notes
27th November 2025 – The Telegraph – Leaden Hall is now a sad sight
‘The beautiful English city where two of our greatest artists did battle’ by Nick Trend, Senior Travel Writer The renowned travel journalist whose family hails from Salisbury writes about the value of Salisbury Cathedral Close
26th November 2025 – Country Life – Outcry over Leaden Hall Plans
‘Outcry over Leaden Hall Plans’, by Julie Harding, News & Property Editor (p.40) The article noted that the plans have caused such controversy that Lord Patten, speaking in the House of Lords questioned: ‘…whether the
22nd November 2025 – Salisbury Journal – Leaden Hall decision reversed by Salisbury City Council
‘Leaden Hall decision reversed by Salisbury City Council’ Letter to the Editor, by Salisbury resident, Lloyd Slater. A letter commending Salisbury City Council for voting against the planning proposals for Leaden Hall, and for aligning
25th October 2025 – Salisbury Journal – Row over future of Leaden Hall reaches national press
‘Row over future of Leaden Hall reaches national press’ by Tom Bromley The article provides a summary of some of the issues raised in the Sunday Times article, along with other comments and can be
25th October 2025 – The Times – Hue and cry over office plans for hall Constable painted
The article notes that Salisbury, along with Suffolk, was a place most frequently painted by Constable, citing “Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows” as the work Constable considered to be his best (the work where the
24th October 2025 – BBC News – Fear new office may ‘obliterate’ Constable’s views
A BBC Wiltshire report on the concerns of the Salisbury Cathedral Close Preservation Society about the impact of eight years of neglect on Leaden Hall, proposals to turn it into an office for the Dean
16th October 2025 – Salisbury Journal Letter – 200 comments on the Wiltshire Council planning portal; most objecting
Letter in the Salisbury Journal by local resident Lloyd Slater In response to a local councillor (and member of the Southern Area Planning Committee), Sven Hocking, who had claimed that most Close residents supported the
6th & 7th September 2025 – The Weekend FT – Constable in crisis: Let’s not forget the landscapes in the English artist’s works are as precious as his paintings
‘Constable in crisis: Let’s not forget the landscapes in the English artist’s works are as precious as his paintings’ by Robin Lane Fox (p.12) The article highlights the importance and rarity of a landscape painted
29th April 2024 – The Georgian Group Magazine
WILTSHIRELeaden HallThe Close. Salisbury (grade I. conservation area) The original canonical house on this site was built by Elias de Dereham, designer of Salisbury Cathedral. The present house was built to the north of its