Time short for Stonehenge visitor centre decision (From Salisbury Journal)

Time short for Stonehenge visitor centre decision

7:00am Thursday 2nd April 2009

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THE bid to open the £20million Stonehenge visitor centre in time for the 2012 Olympics is still in the starting blocks, with the government yet to announce where it will be built.

English Heritage is awaiting a decision from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) after it recommended a yet to be revealed location for the tourist attraction.

However the race is on to get a planning application to the new Wiltshire Council if there is to be any chance of getting the centre built before the Olympic Games.

"The whole thing is a mess," said druid leader Arthur Pendragon who has been campaigning for improved facilities at Stonehenge.

"We were expecting the announcement last year and the planning application to go in the first three months of this year and neither has happened.

"I've been talking to people from all over the world who agree that the existing facilities are diabolical for a world heritage site.

"They've been talking about this for 20 years and nothing has been done.

"2012 was a good deadline but it seems they've left it too late as the government has been faffing about."

The new visitor centre will be a scaled down version of the ambitious £70million scheme that caused huge outrage among Amesbury residents because of its controversial landtrain, which would have taken tourists to the stones.

The government has already spent £37.5million on plans for the centre and the surrounding roads, including a hotly debated proposal for a tunnel, which was scrapped in 2007.

The centre will be built at one of five sites - Durrington Down Farm, Fargo Plantation, Airman's Corner, Rollestone Camp or the existing location opposite Stonehenge.

Some of the sites would have their own car park while others would involve parking some way away and being transported to the visitor centre and on to the stones.

English Heritage will not reveal its preferred location for the centre but spokeswoman Renee Fok said she hoped the Government would make the announcement soon.

"There is a delay - we have got to have the go ahead from the DCMS," she said.

"But there is no suggestion that the project is under threat.

"We have been working hard to develop the plans so that a planning application can go in as soon as possible.

"The timetable is tight but we believe it is still possible."

One cause for concern was a dispute between English Heritage, which looks after the stones, and the National Trust, which is responsible for much of the land around the site, over the best location for the visitor centre.

"This issue has been settled and we have put one recommendation forward from all the stakeholders," said Ms Fok.

"We hope to get the final say soon and we are ready to move quickly."

A spokesman for the DCMS said: "We have received a recommendation which is currently with ministers.

"We are aware of the timescale.

"There are a few funding and planning issues to be resolved but we expect an announcement to be made shortly."

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