18th June 2010, 05:50 PM
I reluctantly agree with BAJR that Stonehenge is cursed. Stonehenge and Avebury are of course both UNESCO World Heritage Sites deemed to be of 'Outstanding Universal Value'. UNESCO expressed regret following the Government's 2007 decision to cancel the A303 http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/400 and are increasingly concerned about the impact of development proposals on the settings of World Heritage Sites generally, even going as far as to remove Dresden from the list altogether following a road scheme.
[FONT="][/FONT]I think the issue with Stonehenge is that both the road and the visitors centre pre-dated its designation, as clearly neither would be acceptable now. One would however presume that there would be a strong economic arguement for improving/ re-locating the visitors centre regardless of the national economic climate. Although if it really is the 4th most visited attraction in the UK. even allowing for people peering through the fence, then maybe this is a discentive for development, it's place in the tourist hierarchy being secure without the need for further investment.
Its a shame as visitors centres at similar archaeological World Heritage Sites abroad such as the Site Pont du Gard, where an extensive Roman landscape is being re-created, or across the Plain with the National Trust's work at Avebury show what can be achieved.
[FONT="][/FONT]I think the issue with Stonehenge is that both the road and the visitors centre pre-dated its designation, as clearly neither would be acceptable now. One would however presume that there would be a strong economic arguement for improving/ re-locating the visitors centre regardless of the national economic climate. Although if it really is the 4th most visited attraction in the UK. even allowing for people peering through the fence, then maybe this is a discentive for development, it's place in the tourist hierarchy being secure without the need for further investment.
Its a shame as visitors centres at similar archaeological World Heritage Sites abroad such as the Site Pont du Gard, where an extensive Roman landscape is being re-created, or across the Plain with the National Trust's work at Avebury show what can be achieved.