|
 |
|
|
| Stone Formation Archive 1990 |
|
 Stone Formations news, views, gallery and archive brought to you by Weird Wiltshire Introduction Latest News News Archive Stonehenge Stonehenge Project Stonehenge 360 Avebury Saviours Stones Village Solstice Wayland Smithy Long Barrow Woodhenge Gallery Summer Solstice Gallery 2002 Summer Solstice Gallery 2004 Postcards Wallpaper Links  |
First published on November 8, 1990 A NEW plan for Stonehenge, with a visitors' centre and car parks three-quarters of a mile away, has been proposed by English Heritage. Lord Montague of Beaulieu, the chairman of English Heritage, which looks after the stones, said that under the plan the A344 near the monument would close and the present road, car park and centre would disappear under rolling turf. He told the Wiltshire Consultative Tourism Forum at County Hall that the Ministry of Defence had made land available for a visitors' centre at Larkhill. But members of the forum, which is administered by Wiltshire County Council, said the one-and-a-half mile round walk could deter physically handicapped and elderly visitors. Other members were worried about coach parties, responsible for the bulk of the 700,000 visitors a year, which tend to stay about 20 minutes on the way from Salisbury to Bath. Lord Montague doubted the value of such coach parties, but believed the facilities would be so attractive that visitors would want to stay longer. Coun Jack Ainslie was concerned about the effect of 700,-000 people walking along the route, but was told the pathway could be varied with barriers. County highways director David Gardner asked English Heritage chief executive Jennifer Page whether the Transport Department had made a commitment over re-routing the A303 south to avoid the archaeological site. He said if the A344 past the monument was closed, up to 6,000 vehicles a day would be diverted on to the A303 which already carries 14,000 a day. Miss Page said: "I feel we are a long way from getting a commitment from them at this stage." Chairman Brenda Wyrill said at present people visiting Stonehenge did not find it exciting and Coun Bruce Bennet claimed a lot of people stopped there just to use the toilets. County chairman, Mary Salisbury said: "We have heard much criticism of the facilities and the difficulties of ensuring that the monument can be properly preserved while catering for tourism." Miss Page said a planning application would not be made to Salisbury District Council, or the county council asked to close the road, until a wide range of organisations had been consulted, including The National Trust, which owns the land surrounding the monument, the Royal Fine Art Commission, Amesbury and Shrewton councils and the public. Back to 1990 index |
|
