Stonehenge car parking improvements planned by English Heritage
|
Version 0 of 1. Just a year after a spectacular £27m redevelopment for visitor facilities at Stonehenge, English Heritage has submitted plans to expand and improve the site’s car parks to cope with the crowds that have flocked to the landmark. A record 1.3 million tourists have made the pilgrimage since a new visitor centre was opened and the car park has been so busy that some coach parties have been turned away. English Heritage, which manages the ancient site, has submitted plans to Wiltshire council asking if it can expand its car parking, especially in bad weather. There are currently 360 “hard” car parking spaces, and 140 overflow grassed spaces in the visitor centre car park, plus 30 coach parking spaces in a separate car park. English Heritage is applying for planning permission to resurface the existing overflow car park so it can be used in all weather conditions, and also for permission to provide 25 extra spaces in the coach park, in time for the summer. It means the total number of car parking spaces will remain the same (500), but will be weatherproofed. The planning application to Wiltshire council says: “Over 60% of paying visitors now travel to Stonehenge as part of a group. Due to the increasing levels of demand, the existing 30 coach parking spaces and dropoff facilities have been found to be inadequate at peak times during which bookings are declined. “Unbooked groups that are turned away often unload their passengers anyway and park off-site. There are also significant health and safety concerns due to pedestrian conflicts with coaches in the existing coach park layout.” As well as the new car park the plans also include a number of new walkways around the visitors’ centre site, which is 1.5 miles (2km) from the stones. Kate Davies, Stonehenge general manager, said: “The first year of the new Stonehenge visitor centre has been very successful. We welcomed a record 1.3 million people and had really positive feedback to our exhibitions, our re-created neolithic houses and the improvements to the landscape around the stones themselves. “Over the course of the year we’ve also looked at those areas of the visitor experience that need to be improved and we are now taking steps to address them. We await feedback from the council and we will keep everyone updated throughout.” A decision is due to be made in April. |