HC Deb 13 December 1989 vol 163 cc719-20W
65. Mrs. Maureen Hicks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by English Heritage on the establishment of a new visitor centre at Stonehenge.

Mr. Trippier

I am pleased to say that agreement has recently been reached between the Ministry of Defence and English Heritage about an access route, across MOD land, to the site of the proposed new visitor centre at Larkhill West, just north of Stonehenge. There remains a considerable amount of detailed preparation and planning work to be done but I know that English Heritage will now be directing their energies wholeheartedly, in discussion with MOD, the local authorities and other interested parties, towards making significant early progress with these next stages.

English Heritage's aim is to develop a visitor centre worthy of Stonehenge's international importance as a world heritage site and a major attraction to tourists. It hopes that the centre will cater for up to 1 million visitors each year and plans to include a full, imaginative interpretation of Stonehenge using the latest exhibition techniques to inform visitors. In recognition of the importance which the Government attach to the development of appropriate visitor facilities at Stonehenge, we included in the £3 million additional funding which we are allocating to English Heritage in 1990–91 a sum of £500,000 to enable extra resources to be used to be put into working up the project as rapidly as possible.