Government reveals £25 million plan to 'revitalise' Stonehenge

A £25 million plan to revitalise the world-renowned Stonehenge site - including closing an adjacent main road - was revealed by the Government today.

A proposal for a new visitor centre and plans to close the A344 have been given the "go-ahead in principle" by the Stonehenge Programme Board.

The board, chaired by culture minister Barbara Follett and transport minister Andrew Adonis, recommended work on the centre should go ahead at Airman's Corner - about 1.5 miles west of the current site near Amesbury, Wiltshire.

Ms Follett said the majority of people agreed the way the prehistoric site - one of the most substantial complexes of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in Europe - was presented was "short of ideal".

She said: "Consensus on how to improve visitor facilities has eluded stakeholders for far too long, and so I am delighted that we now have plans to move forward. There is still a long way to go, of course, but we now have to get on with making it happen."

The most recent plans are the latest in a long line of project proposals for the unique heritage site.

In 2000, two projects were planned - to remove roads from around Stonehenge by placing the nearby A303 in a tunnel, and to relocate visitor facilities to a new centre away from the Stones.

But in 2007, the Government announced that it would not continue with a published scheme for an A303 tunnel in view of the estimated cost of around £500 million.

The project board was re-convened and in December 2008, and following public consultation on the future of Stonehenge, two options for the location of a new visitor centre were proposed - Fargo Plantation and Airman's Corner.

Culture secretary Andy Burnham said: "Stonehenge has fascinated and enthralled people for thousands of years. It is undoubtedly one of the world's key heritage sites, and a pre-eminent UK visitor attraction.

"I am delighted we have been able to identify a sustainable and affordable solution for a visitor centre at one of the world's key heritage sites, and one of the UK's most iconic visitor attractions.

"Today's announcement marks the first steps towards making long held aspirations for Stonehenge a reality, and could not have been achieved without the commitment, determination and passion of our partners."

The project is still subject to planning permission and funding, which will be provided through a range of private and public sources, including English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Welcoming the Government's decision, English Heritage chairman Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe, said: "Our vision has always been to restore a sense of dignity to the setting of Stonehenge and to improve its visitor facilities.

"English Heritage has now secured, through working with the Department of Culture Media and Sport and a group of stakeholders, an agreed location for new visitor facilities in accordance with the World Heritage Site Management Plan.

"This will lead to a pragmatic and affordable scheme which will make significant and vitally-needed improvements to what we have now."

Sir Barry added: "Airman's Corner had wide support and is the unanimous recommendation of the project team, supported by the major heritage groups and the landowners.

"I congratulate the Government for making this decisive and timely move. It is in the public interest for everyone who cares about Stonehenge and its conservation to be united in supporting this scheme and ensuring that the project is successfully delivered on time.

English Heritage also said that the new centre would be designed by architectural firm Denton Corker Marshall.

National Trust director-general Dame Fiona Reynolds said: "We are delighted by this latest step forward.

"The new facilities will significantly enhance the experience for the many thousands of visitors to this important landmark."

A planning application will be submitted in late summer 2009, when there will be further public consultation on the scheme. Construction work is expected to take place in 2011, with the new visitor facilities scheduled to open in 2012, in time for the London Olympics.