Confusion reigns over visitor centre

by Sarah McQuillen

From The Salisbury Journal, 22nd July 1999.

A meeting called to calm anxiety over the siting of the Stonehenge visitor centre at Countess East has left people more confused than ever.

Culture Secretary Chris Smith and English Heritage chairman Jocelyn Stevens presented contradictory versions of the way ahead to solve the visitor centre row.

Countess residents, town councillors and Salisbury district councillors heard Chris Smith promise on Tuesday that no final decision on whether to build the visitor centre at Countess East had been taken and a number of possible sites were still under review.

But after the meeting, Sir Jocelyn said that neither of the alternatives -- Fargo North or Countess West -- was a serious or viable option.

He said: "We are not going back to Fargo. As for Countess West -- both the National Trust and I have given good reasons why it is not a good site.

"However, it is not clever to keep saying 'no' to local people -- we need to explain why.

"Countess East is still by far the favourite option. The only people affected by it are the people of Countess Road."

Sir Jocelyn advised worried people to hold fire until detailed piece from potential visitor centre operators become available at the end of this month.

He said: "Their fear is founded on not knowing what is happening, not on disliking the scheme.

"I think that when they see the final drawings they are going to be very happily surprised.

"Local people who think carefully will realise that this visitor centre will be the best thing ever to happen to Amesbury."

But Chris Smith described his discussion with local people as "very constructive" and stressed that Countess East was still "no more than a possibility".

He said: "One of the things I was glad to have the opportunity to stress was that nothing has been set in concrete yet. Everything will have to be justified to the planning authority.

"Local people will be fully involved in all our discussions and English Heritage have joined us in making a commitment to that."

One subject on which all parties agreed was the need to address traffic congestion on Countess roundabout.

Mr Smith said: "What we are seeking first and foremost is a solution to the traffic so that there are not enormous gridlock queues throughout the summer.

"We simply cannot carry on with the status quo."

Amesbury town councillor Vernon Smith was disappointed with the tone of the meeting.

He said: "We have heard nothing knew or fresh. It was all very airy-fairy. I suspect that they still want to build at Countess East but they are pretending that the other options are still open to keep us happy."

Major John Turner, who represents the town council on the Secretary of State's Stonehenge steering group, was reassured by Chris Smith's promises.

He has been responsible for trying to canvass high-level support for Amesbury town council's new preferred site at Countess West.

He said: "I was pleased that it has become very clear that the views of the management committee will be taken into consideration.

"We have taken a small step forward today but they is still a lot left to thrash out."

Peter Goodhugh, of the Countess Road Residents' Association, said: "The National Trust Representative said he did not want a 'massive visitor complex' on the Trust's doorstep at Countess West.

"The residents of Countess East do not want a massive complex on our doorsteps either."