Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet has approved a new plan aimed at protecting the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site from the potential impact of future development.
The Setting Study for the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site (WHS) will help ensure that planning decisions do not adversely affect the internationally significant monuments or their surrounding landscape.
If approved by Full Council later this month, the document will become a formal Supplementary Planning Document. It will be used as a ‘material consideration’ when determining planning applications in the area.
The Setting Study was produced in partnership with Chris Blandford Associates and developed with input from Wiltshire Council’s planning team and the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site Partnership.
It follows a six-week public consultation held earlier this year, which included a public webinar and a series of in-person drop-in events. Responses were received from a range of organisations, including the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Historic England, Natural England and National Highways.
The document provides guidance to ensure consistency in how planning applications are assessed, helping decision makers, developers and consultees to understand better the potential effects of development on the heritage site.
Cllr Adrian Foster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management and Housing on Wiltshire Council, said: “We are committed to working positively with partners to enhance and protect our environment for future generations.
“Having Stonehenge and Avebury on our doorstep is wonderful for Wiltshire, but we have a vital collective responsibility to safeguard these historic sites.
“The Setting Study will ensure that any planning decision or strategy regarding the World Heritage Site is as informed as possible and will provide guidance and clarity to developers, designers, applicants, consultees and decision makers.
“My thanks go to all who took a keen interest and contributed to our public consultation. This feedback has proven to be valuable in finalising the document.
“We now look forward to presenting this to Full Council so that it can be formally adopted.”
The Setting Study aligns with UNESCO Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments and incorporates advice from Historic England, as well as national planning policies and Wiltshire’s Local Plan requirements.
