Representation by Sandra Buttigieg
- Date submitted
- 11 January 2019
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Although I do not live locally to Stonehenge or Salisbury, I travel extensively in the region and am therefore familiar with the area under discussion. I have many concerns about the proposed tunnel, but my main representation is in relation to the damage that will be caused to this World Heritage site by the proposed scheme. We are custodians of Stonehenge which is internationally recognised as one of the most significant archaeological and historical sites and as such we have a duty to preserve the landscape for future generations. Once the site has been damaged there will be nothing that can be done to make amends. The damage will not be restricted to that caused to the Stonehenge site by the tunnel, but also the to the Blick Mead site and setting by the disruption to the water table from the proposed flyover. Advancements in archaeological techniques are now allowing us to have a greater understanding of our ancestors than ever before and this should not be put at risk for the short-term convenience of saving a few minutes in a journey. I am also concerned at the lack of alternative options that have been considered in comparison to this proposed scheme. For example, I understand that there was a viable option proposed that would have routed the A303 south of Stonehenge and made improvements to the A36 which would also have created the possibility of a much-needed bypass for Salisbury. This would surely provide a much better value for money option as well as avoiding damage to the World Heritage site.