Decision details

To formally adopt the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site Management Plan on behalf of Wiltshire Council.

Wiltshire Council is one of three organisations which make up the World Heritage Site Partnership Panel. Each of these three agencies, plus the separate local committees for Stonehenge and Avebury has undertaken processes to engage the relevant stakeholders and consult widely with partners and the public in the production of the Management Plan. The Management Plan, developed over two years, was produced in April 2015 and formally launched on the 17^th May 2015.

This report outlines the procedure which produced the plan and states the intention for Wiltshire Council to formally adopt that plan under the delegated decision making authority of the Cabinet Member for Arts and Culture.

DECISION MADE

I approve adoption of the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site Management Plan as advertised.

This decision was published on 10 March 2016 and will come into force on 18 March 2016.

Wiltshire Council has a key leadership role in delivering the strategic direction of the management of the World Heritage Site and direct responsibility for the delivery of some 35 actions. Wiltshire Council is a part of the WHS Partnership Panel which monitors the progress of the Management Plan and many services within the Council are integral to the successful delivery of key actions within the following chapters:

• Planning and Policy
• Conservation
• Sustainable Tourism
• Interpretation, Learning and Community Engagement
• Roads and Traffic
• Management and Monitoring Arrangements

Wiltshire Council endorsed the first draft of the Management Plan and the outline for consultation on the 10^th of October 2014 at the Partnership Panel. The period of internal consultation then ran until the 25^th of September before the 12 weeks of public consultation which commenced on the 8^th of December 2014.

The two Steering Committee’s responsible for the oversight of amendments to the management of the World Heritage Site agreed the Management Plan as follows:

• Stonehenge Steering Committee on the 9^th of April 2015
• Avebury Steering Committee on the 10^th of April 2015.

Adopt the Management Plan

Reject the Management Plan

The Management Plan was widely consulted upon during the period 8^th December to 3^rd of March 2014. An outline of this consultation process is attached as a supporting document, Appendix A. Wiltshire Council Officers as well as members were engaged in the consultation process and the agreement of the objections and actions. The formal public consultation followed the same process as the Wiltshire Council Core Strategy. A report upon the Management Plan was circulated to the CLT checklist during May 2015.