Representation by Gregory Jotham
- Date submitted
- 11 January 2019
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am concerned that the proposal could cause serious damage to the archaeological record at one of Britain's most significant prehistoric sites. To allow tunnelling on tis scale so close to the site risks the loss of archaeological information that cannot be estimated as the site of the proposed tunnels has not been surveyed or excavated to the depth that the tunnelling will disturb. Artifacts and traces are not just found within a few feet of the surface, they may be spread over an extensive depth of soil, and important discoveries related to Stonehenge's function as a sacred and cultural site have been found at some considerable distance from the circles themselves.
I am also concerned that the choice appears to have been made to ignore the concerns raised by UNESCO advisors, and no alternative scheme has been considered as an option that would avoid damage to a site so close to one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe. It would be better to do nothing immediately, and spend time exploring better alternatives, than press ahead and discover that we would be condemned by succeeding generations for an act of cultural vandalism.
It's not as if this is the only bottleneck in the western part of the A303 - there plenty of others in less sensitive locations, and we should devote the available funds to improving them while we explore better options for this most critical site, as well as making archaological excavations to begin to establish what could be below the surface of the proposed route.