Representation by Roger Brake
- Date submitted
- 19 December 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am concerned about the potential damage to the World Heritage Site which will be caused by the construction of the tunnel, it's portals and associated works on and affecting the existing road system.
The proposed scheme does not meet the approval of UNESCO who consider it irreparably damages the World Heritage Site by the construction of the Amesbry Portal, the construction of the flyover and interchange at the Countess junction.
I strongly object to the huge expressway interchange close to the World Heritage Site (WHS). It would irreparably damage archaeology and intrude on the setting of the WHS.
I strongly object to the proposals for massive tunnel portals and a 4-lane expressway in deep cuttings. They would be both visually and audibly intrusive within the WHS. Re-modelling of the landscape would permanently destroy the integrity of Neolithic and Bronze Age cemeteries and other sites built and respected by our ancestors. Road construction and operation would impact adversely on rare Stone Curlews in the nearby RSPB reserve. The eastern tunnel portals and new highway would damage the setting of Vespasian’s Camp, prehistoric burials and the route of the ancient Stonehenge Avenue. I draw particular attention to Blicks Mead, probably the most important Mesolithic and Neolithic sites in England. Only a very small portion of this site has yet been excavated and the finds are truely astonishing. That so much valuble material has survived is due to the established high water table in this area which has preserved so many organic remains for 10000 years. There is no information in your consultation about how you intend to maintain the itegreity of the water table, including ground water level, which is necessary for the preservation of this unique and irreplacable site. The area excavated so far is no larger than a badminton court and represents no more than the tip of an enormous iceberg which must be protected by maintaining the integreity of the ground water table and level. The flyover which in itself is intrusive and unsuitable in design for the entrance to a WHS should not be built without there being a satisfactory resoloution to this issue.
The c.3km tunnel would be too short to protect the WHS from irreparable damage. The flyover and associated engineering would have highly detrimental impacts on Blick Mead Mesolithic site, Listed buildings, a Registered Park and a Conservation Area; and could adversely affect wildlife and the River Avon Special Area of Conservation.
The environmental effect Information is lacking to properly assess the environmental impacts of the scheme. There are likely to be seriously damaging effects on wildlife and the water regime. Local people would suffer noise, poor air quality and inconvenience. Millions would lose the valued view of the Stones from the A303. This consultation, like the previous one, is fundamentally flawed: • it is too brief and narrowly focused for an important UNESCO WHS for which there is both national and international concern. You only seek ideas for the scheme presented, not whether we approve or object to your proposal; and • there is insufficient information to inform properly on most aspects of the scheme.
The proposed scheme: • disregards UNESCO’s advice to explore options that would not damage the WHS, risking loss of World Heritage status; • ignores
- World Heritage Convention safeguards, and
- planning policy and guidance to protect the WHS and its setting; and • would deny future generations the opportunity to explore and understand the WHS as it should be experienced.
For these reasons I strongly object to the A303 Stonehenge proposals and I would like you to reconsider the scheme and consult on options that cause no further damage to the World Heritage Site, including options that do not involve building more roads. Should, heaven forbid, this scheme proceed there is no assesment of the impact the potential loss of WHS status to this area and the effect this would have on the local economy. the consultation also ignores the governments commitments under the 1974 World Heritage Sites Act particularly sections 3&4.
The scheme as proposed does not protect this WHS and if implemented would jeopardise the international status of Stonehenge and do irredeemable damage to the standing of this country as a custodian of one of the worlds greatest treasures.