§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether English Heritage is to retain full control over all the information, educational and other material to be on offer at the World Heritage Site Visitors' Centre at Stonehenge; and whether all material for sale or consultation will be archaeologically accurate. [HL4321]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyEnglish Heritage will retain editorial control over the content of the interpretation material available at the new visitor centre and this has been made clear in the information provided to bidders. The operator of the centre will be required to present a balanced and comprehensive explanation of Stonehenge, its landscape and other archaeological features, and of other historic sites in the region.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the operator of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site is being offered control over the level of parking fees in the car parks attached to the Visitors' Centre; whether these car parks are to be the only car parks within easy distance of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site or of the stones themselves; whether the eventual developer of the Visitors' Centre is to operate the present Visitors' Centre until the A.344 is closed or until a flyover has been constructed at Countess Roundabout; and what control is envisaged, particularly as regards parking prices. [HL4322]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyBidders submitting proposals for the new visitor centre have been asked to indicate the level of charge they would expect to impose for use of the car park. However, it has been stipulated that English Heritage and National Trust members and local people who currently enjoy free access to the Stones will not be charged. English Heritage is not proposing any other car parks. Bidders104WA have been asked to indicate whether they wish to operate the existing visitor facilities until closure.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a comprehensive asssessment of the number, behaviour and needs of visitors to Stonehenge is still not available more than a year into the development of the master plan; and how, if at all, a Visitors' Centre can be contracted, built and managed without it. [HL4442]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyEnglish Heritage operates the existing visitor facilities at Stonehenge adjacent to the A.344 and therefore has intimate knowledge of the number of visitors and their requirements. Recent studies by Deloitte Touche and Moser have reinforced this knowledge and form the basis of the information provided to bidders for the new Stonehenge visitor centre.