STONEHENGE WORLD HERITAGE SITE: A303 Road Scheme

Press Release: 22 July 2005

ICOMOS-UK welcomes the announcement made yesterday by the Roads Minister, Dr Stephen Ladyman, to carry out a detailed review of possible options before making a decision on the Inspector's Report into the A303 road scheme at Stonehenge World Heritage site.

The scheme interrogated at the Public Inquiry in 2004, for a short tunnel with over 2km of four-lane highway crossing the World Heritage site, may have been considered acceptable by the Inspector but runs contrary to the Government's commitments to the World Heritage Convention to protect the Stonehenge World Heritage site for future generations.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is becoming increasingly concerned at developmental threats to World Heritage sites and is begining to consider tough actions. At the 29th Meeting of the Committee held in Durban from the 10th-17th July 2005, the Committee asked the UK Government to report on threats from tall buildings to the setting of the Tower of London World Heritage site by February 2006, and, having considered that report, may consider putting the site on the World Heritage in Danger List at the next session of the Committee in July 2006.

For the Stonehenge World Heritage site, ICOMOS-UK believes that the review announced by the Minister allows time for serious consideration to be given to alternative schemes for upgrading the A303 that do not involve cutting across the heart of the World Heritage site. We would like to see all the main parties working together to promote a solution that respects the significances of the World Heritage site.

22nd July 2005

Background Notes:

ICOMOS-UK opposed the scheme for a short tunnel with four-lane highway at either end within the World Heritage site, which was the subject of a Public Inquiry from 17th February to 11th May 2004.

Under the terms of the World Heritage Convention 1972, ICOMOS advises UNESCO World Heritage Committee on cultural World Heritage sites.

ICOMOS-UK, 70 Cowcross Street, London ES1M 6EJ