The presence of Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) on the byways at Stonehenge is giving rise to lots of comments and confusion and Wiltshire Council has not been helpful in engaging with the community to explain the situation.
My summary of the situation:
1) There was a problem in 2017 with the grassing over of the A344 where asbestos contaminated poor quality top soil was brought in, and then removed which caused a delay. This was a completely separate and unconnected incident to the current Byway 12 Drove problem. https://www.sarsen.org/2017/06/wiltshire-council-recommend-letting.html for details.
2) The drove passes over the site of the former Stonehenge aerodrome and debris from its demolition is widespread either side of the drove and even south of the A303. A BBC report on the aerodrome: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19pkgeCqtR/
A film of the demolition https://cutt.ly/JrK4KWq7
I documented in the problem in 2016: https://www.sarsen.org/2016/06/stonehenge-solstice-asbestos-warning.html
3) Even without sight of these the required desk-based initial assessment should have classified the former aerodrome site as a brownfield site with a high risk of asbestos contamination, from the records of its construction, when asbestos containing sheeting was commonly used for roofing and walls, and its demolition. Wiltshire Council or its contractors should have started with a Phase 1 contaminated land assessment, involving a desk study of historical records, maps, and site walkovers to pinpoint potential asbestos sources from past demolitions. If risks are indicated, this progresses to asbestos-specific surveys: a UKAS-accredited professional survey for locating visible ACMs, and a more intrusive refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey to uncover hidden materials through sampling and analysis.
These surveys are underpinned by key UK regulations to safeguard health, safety, and the environment. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) mandates a "duty to manage" asbestos risks, requiring assessments and potential HSE notifications for licensable work. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) oblige clients to provide pre-construction information on hazards, integrating asbestos surveys into project planning. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Part 2A) serves as a framework for contaminated land remediation.
On the 21st August 2025 I walked the Drove and small ACM fragments were easily spotted, photos below.
On the 27th August 2025 Wiltshire Council in an FOI response stated: Unfortunately, we encountered an issue where some imported materials did not meet our specifications and had to be removed, causing further delays. More recently, a report identified the presence of asbestos sheeting on the byway. This discovery necessitated an extension of the TTRO into September to ensure safe removal and compliance with environmental regulations. It is believed that the asbestos originated from remnants of former airfield hangars previously located on the site.
Until the hazard is dealt with no maintenance work can be carried on that section, whether the rest of the right of way network can be reopened as work appears to be close to being finished is another question.
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