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A303 Meetings - 25th/27th Feb '17

Berwick St James Parish Community A303 Meetings 25th & 27th Feb '17

Guide Centre – 25th Feb ‘17

  1. Welcome to Berwick, Stapleford & Winterbourne Stoke & others from neighbouring villages
  2. Alistair Sommerlad – Chair of Stonehenge & Avery WHS Partnership
  3. Format – Myself to give quick summary of background to the bypass.  Julian Glyn-Owen to follow with what we know /don’t know, what we have done/ still to do.  At the end will invite Alistair Sommerlad to join us at the front to answer any questions .  Afterwards those still requiring assistance to fill in forms, classroom next door
  4. Two lines of approach
    1. Individual responses through the questionnaires citing concerns
    2. Group response supported by professional reports privately commissioned.  Both in by 5th March
  5. Show of Hands
    1. How many came to one of the last two meetings we have held in the Reading Room
    2. Who didn’t manage to get to one of the public consultations
    3. Who has completed their questionnaire
  6. World Heritage Site   -   Heritage Community
    1. National Trust
    2. Natural England
    3. English Heritage
    4. Wiltshire Council
  7. Original Mandate to keep A303 out of sight of Stonehenge.  Tunnel & Route essentially configured to comply (max length =2.8km). Tunnel then moved east so that eastern portal was east of The Avenue.

Creates problems for Western Portal

Since then Heritage Community trying to move goalposts by insisting that A303 should not be visible from WHS, and certainly not from Visitors Centre  Tunnel not regarded as long enough.  Want it to be at least 4.7 km to move the exit out of WHS.  Extra cost prohibitive (Total £2 billion).  At present not an option.  “Blatant Vandalism / Permanent Disaster words from some very influential archaeologists.

Position of Western Portal will have a marked effect on where W-S Bypass goes

Height of embankment; 

  1.          2% slope desirable not mandatory
  2.          Spoil may be able to be put elsewhere
  3.          Position of 360/303 interchange not fixed

The fund raising has been extremely successful and we want to thank Druids Estate and every home owner and tenant from Berwick St. James, Winterbourne Stoke and Stapleford who has contributed so generously. Even if the Northern Route is chosen in August, we propose that any remaining funds are kept, to support the additional actions of the Southern Till Valley community, to mitigate the impact of the Northern Route on the Till Valley ecology and landscape.

History Of Events

Date Event

1989

Scheme enters Roads for Prosperity programme

1991 - 1993

Initial route identification

1993

Public Consultation

1994 - 1995

Further route Identification

1995

Planning Conference

1996

Scheme Withdrawn from Road Plan

1998

Scheme Re-introduced to Road Plan

1999

Preferred Route Announced

2002

2.1km bored tunnel announced

2004

Public Inquiry

2005

Review of options after substantial increase in estimated costs

2007

Withdrawn from roads programme

2013

A303 feasibility study announced as part of the Autumn Statement

2014

Scheme included in the Roads Investment Strategy

2015 - 2016

Route Identification

12 Jan - 5 Mar '17

Have your say: Public Consultation on all Route Options

TBC Summer '17

Announcement of Preferred/Recommended option

TBC 2018

Submit planning application

TBC 2020

Start on Site