Representation by John Barnes
- Date submitted
- 14 December 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Having studied the proposed A303 Stonehenge Expressway scheme I would like to raise a number of concerns in relation to this, these being that the scheme:
does not meet with the requirements of UK planning policy to protect the World Heritage Site (WHS) and its setting, preserving our archaelogical heritage and the prehistoric landscape in addition to limiting the impact of work in the area.
would not comply with the advice given by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in June 2018
would not comply with the latest recommendations of the joint UNESCO WH Centre and ICOMOS Advisory Mission’s report of March 2018.
would cause irreparable damage to the site (that being Stonehenge), its archaeology and setting, not to mention potential damage to the Blick Mead Mesolithic site.
would potentially contribute to the loss of rare bird species, such as the Stone Curlew and Great Bustard.
6: would limit visibility and access to the site, whilst substantially increasing both noise and emissions as a direct, and end, result of the scheme.
Additionally, there is little in the way of evidence of any potential economic gain from the plans, and the only certainty is that of creating yet more congestion in surrounding areas as a result of additional traffic. Then there is the issue of intrusion into the curtilage of Amesbury Abbey, a Grade 1 listed building, which, in turn, would lead to permanent damage to the interconnectedness of monuments in a designed landscape; not to mention the disruption, and potential loss of, nesting habitat for several rare birds including stone curlew and further, unknowable, impacts on wildlife in the Avon and Till river Special Areas of Conservation. The 2018 Advisory Mission also stated that scheme should not proceed with the current length of tunnel and advised the Government to explore other options for A303 dualling at Stonehenge, including a WHS bypass and longer tunnel options. This advice has been ignored. ...whilst UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee’s in 2018 urged the UK Government to seek progress on the scheme that would avoid adverse impact on the outstanding universal value of the property. This has not been done. Finally, if the A303 scheme, including the proposed changes you are consulting on, are not reconsidered, the WHS risks being placed on the List of WHS in Danger and ultimately losing its designation altogether, as the changes would create incompatibility with the World Heritage Convention and the vision of the World Heritage Site Management Plan for Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites.