The Stonehenge Alliance is shocked that a highly damaging and inaccurate amendment from Kenya to the draft decision on Stonehenge was passed at the World Heritage Committee today, albeit with some minor changes.
The amendment, which appears to have been proposed on behalf of the UK, effectively gives the green light to the UK to go ahead and permanently damage the World Heritage Site (WHS) with its £2.5bn A303 dual carriageway. The Committee is meeting in New Delhi in India this week [3] discussing the threats to World Heritage Sites around the world as well as designating new WHSs.
The amendment of the draft decision effectively overturns all previous Committee decisions and now means that the site will not be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Stonehenge Alliance is calling on the new Labour government to distance itself from the misleading briefings and political manoeuvrings that have been going on in New Delhi.
Preventing Stonehenge from being placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger does not alter the fact that the road scheme would cause permanent and irreversible harm to the World Heritage Site. It also does not alter its appalling economic case.
John Adams, chair of the Stonehenge Alliance and one of the 3 directors of SSWHS, said:
“This is a dark day for Stonehenge and a hollow victory for the UK government as this decision won’t stop the harm to the World Heritage Site. We should not forget that this scheme failed the planning test. It was recommended for refusal because of the ‘permanent and irreversible’ harm it would do. After their promises of change and greater integrity in politics, we hope that the new Labour government will distance itself from the shocking goings on in New Delhi. Otherwise people will assume it was behind the untrue statements that helped sway the debate.”
Tom Holland, president of the Stonehenge Alliance, said: “This is a travesty of justice. The weakness of the Government’s case can be measured by the grotesque lengths they have gone to in their attempts to cover it up. If Labour ministers are complicit in this, then it disgraces them.”
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
ArtDependence Magazine is an international magazine covering all spheres of contemporary art, as well as modern and classical art.
ArtDependence features the latest art news, highlighting interviews with today’s most influential artists, galleries, curators, collectors, fair directors and individuals at the axis of the arts.
The magazine also covers series of articles and reviews on critical art events, new publications and other foremost happenings in the art world.
If you would like to submit events or editorial content to ArtDependence Magazine, please feel free to reach the magazine via the contact page.
