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Stonehenge,
Wiltshire
Stone Circle and prehistoric complex. OS reference SU123422

The label “national disgrace” has for too long been attached to our national icon. But now the failure to deal with it after so many years is creating the appearance of a national humiliation.

The most recent scheme (the Stonehenge Project) was cancelled by the government in December 2007. Quite properly in our view since it aimed to improve the immediate setting of the stones but at the cost of vast collateral damage to the wider surrounding landscape and was consequently strongly opposed by most archaeological and heritage bodies. (For more, see our previous Summary and our Journal article, Stonehenge Saved). The government has also made clear that no other large scale schemes are to be considered.

However, this means the way is now clear for the programme of smaller-scale but urgently needed improvements long called for by the Stonehenge Alliance, Save Stonehenge and others. We have termed it Achievable Stonehenge.

Achievable Stonehenge

The effect would be to transform Stonehenge

From this...

To this...

By three modest steps –

• Closing and grassing over the A344 road from its junction with the A303 up to the far end of the visitors’ car park
• De-commissioning the pedestrian tunnel
• Moving the nearest fences much further away from the stones

Thus reuniting the stones with their original landscape at last.

Achievable Stonehenge would fulfil all of Britain’s UNESCO obligations. It would be free of the contentious issues that have so bedevilled and delayed progress for a decade so it could be actioned in a relatively short time period. The relocation of the visitors’ centre and car park, which will take a lengthy period to resolve, can progress as a separate issue without delaying the rest of the works. Equally, progress would not be inhibited by the vexed question of what to do about the A303 Trunk road since it has been signalled that this must remain to be addressed only in the future.

The elements of Achievable Stonehenge are all available to us now and don’t prejudice any medium or longer term options since they have always been the centrepiece of all proposals. So, for the first time there is the opportunity for all parties to be united in working towards an agreed programme and actions can at last replace words. Let’s leave the awful Stonehenge saga behind and press for real improvements very soon!

• Lobby your MP
• Sign the Achievable Stonehenge online petition