Representation by M&R Hosier
- Date submitted
- 11 January 2019
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Relevant Representation on Behalf of M&R Hosier
Introduction
M&R Hosier is a family owner/occupier farming business with significant acreage within the southern part of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site (WHS) including the area of the western portal and deep cutting approach road. As landowners, we take our responsibility as custodians of the land seriously. Our mixed livestock and arable farming business is enhanced by the tranquil RSPB Normanton Down stone curlew reserve, which is also in our ownership, it has the additional role of protecting key WHS scheduled monuments (Lake and Normanton Barrow groups) under its rich biodiversity. We cannot give our agreement to the proposed A303 scheme as it threatens our business, groundwater, wildlife Reserve and scheduled monuments within the WHS.
Scheme Overview • Lacks value for money. • Misinterpretation of Outstanding Universal Value together with scheme timetables have culminated in survey work falling short of WHS standard. • Scheme fails to meet its primary objective – to remove the A303 from the WHS
Consultation • No consultation on choice between surface or tunnel section. • Misleading consultation data, eg open access of private land in WHS suggested. • Lacking stakeholder engagement, e.g. inappropriate use of S172 powers in place of meaningful dialogue. • DCO underway whilst lacking decisions within certain areas, eg monitoring.
Farming Business • Removal of current access points onto A303 with no alternatives. No access to severed areas meaning greater land impact. • Unnecessary and costly land take around the portal cutting removing land and existing environmental focus instead of remaining under farm ownership managed to legacy brief. • Uncertain viability of pig enterprise with farm rotation and business implications. • Lacking information relating to monitoring, and soil protection during the construction process and beyond. • Applicant to date has not sought to negotiate for the land and rights required for the scheme. Have not met requirements under Government Circular 06/04
Groundwater • Concern farm boreholes will be impacted for quality and quantity during tunnel construction and thereafter. • Unwillingness to provide alternative supply should water be compromised. • Continued lack of meaningful discussion relating to groundwater and private boreholes. • Requests for reports and hydrogeology meetings remain unfulfilled.
Cultural Heritage • Improved stakeholder engagement and a flexible scheme timetable may have prevented damage to property, scheduled monument and bird disturbance during breeding season. • Possibility WHS status will be retracted with various economic consequences. • Scheme endangering and removing important archaeology in the path of the 4 lane dual carriageway at the western portal with limited time for excavations.
Green Bridge 4 • Questionable siting to provide optimal visual interplay between monuments and to deliver high quality biodiversity benefits. • Proposed location complicates land management due to small irregular land parcels. • New byway places another hitherto undamaged scheduled monument in danger of erosion, adds pressure on animal welfare with potential dog attacks, increase biosecurity risks for pig enterprise and pressure of trespass into woodland and farm. • Negative impact on countryside pursuits.
RSPB Reserve • Consultation literature erroneously implies open access. • Endangering the flagship status of Normanton Reserve rather than consolidating existing contributions to landscape, eg protection of archaeology under the rich biodiversity, understanding cultural heritage, wildlife, Stone-curlews, Great Bustards.
Byways • Promotion of new and existing byways within the scheme adding disturbance to the Reserve. • Increasing antisocial problems, eg illegal camping, fly-tipping, property damage to all users. • Lacking provision to remove traffic from existing byways to protect damage to scheduled monuments, Reserve and farm security.