Representation by Colleen I Spalding
- Date submitted
- 10 January 2019
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I do not think that Highways England should persist in its idea to put a large duel carriage way in place which will negatively impact on the UNESCO / Stonehenge World Heritage Site.
I have expressed this opinion previously as have many others and it is disappointing to find that Highways England seems determined to ignore public opinion and risk damaging a site which has been in place for centuries to facilitate a small number of vehicles (in the overall scheme of things) being able to traverse the area somewhat more quickly.
Hopefully the plans submitted to the Planning Inspectorate will be rejected and that there will be no presupposition that traffic access and speed should outweigh the need to protect such a unique and priceless site.
Each generation on this earth is duty bound to protect the riches it borrows. Destroying a pre-historic site will hardly cause today's Government to be viewed with respect by history and future generations should it decide to approve this mistaken plan which cannot be supported environmentally or economically.
If the plan should be approved (and Heaven forfend) the damage which will be done to Stonehenge, its archaeology and its setting is irrevocable. It will not be possible for future generations to realize what an appalling idea it was and redress the balance.
In addition to damage to the actual site there is the fact that the site will no longer be visible from the road, that everyone will have to pay to see something which has been part of our history from time immemorial, that damage could well be done to the flora and fauna (rare bird species) as well as to the World Heritage Site by increased noise, disturbance during building, etc.
Please do not approve this plan. Ask Highways England, instead, to propose an alternative which totally avoids this wonderful set of stones and the area surrounding them.