I Object To The Flashing Tip of the Council's Stonehenge Erection

Really? Wiltshire Council lavished public funds on the Stonehenge and Avebury WHS Setting Study, which provides the background to the Core Policy 59 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy, adopted with such pomp in October 2025 to shield the site's Outstanding Universal Value from the scourge of all intrusion and they now submit their own application (PL/2025/06175) for a 24-metre (blade tip) wind turbine at High Post Salt Store. Where, one wonders, is the viewpoint study, the photomontages, or any hint that the authors have actually perused their own guidance? The mood on Bluesky seems to be that merely "the flashing tip of the erection" will peek through the trees. I would prefer my view from the monument without that.

The elevation plan of the view from Stonehenge, from eye level, to the proposed Wind Turbine shown to vertical scale. Click to enlarge .

My own amateur work as the planning documentation failed to include one.

The elevation plan from Woodhenge is even worse.

The Setting of the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage Site Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), adopted by Wiltshire Council in October 2025, addresses tall or high structures (explicitly exemplified as pylons, wind turbines, radio masts, industrial and incinerator chimneys) with particular stringency due to their potential to harm the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the World Heritage Site (WHS) through changes to its setting.

Key Provisions on Tall Structures

• County-wide screening requirement — Unlike most other development types, which trigger screening for Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) only within specific distances (e.g., 1–5 km) or on sensitive features (e.g., ridgelines or astronomical alignments), tall structures require screening for all planning applications anywhere in Wiltshire. This reflects their potential for long-distance visual impact.
• Rationale for broad application — The SPD notes that "tall structures and other major development could affect the setting of the WHS even when sited on land that is not itself visible from the WHS" (page 9). Height allows them to intrude into views, skylines, or the broader landscape context experienced from the WHS or its key monuments, even from considerable distances.
• Application to neighbouring areas — While the SPD formally covers Wiltshire, it highlights that large-scale or very tall proposals in adjacent authorities (e.g., Swindon Borough, Test Valley, Hampshire) also have "some potential to affect the setting and hence OUV of the WHS" (page 9), implying consultation or consideration where relevant.

Implications for Structures Near the WHS

For tall/high structures proposed near the WHS (e.g., within the visual envelope, on elevated land, or along key sightlines), the impacts would be subject to even closer scrutiny through the HIA process outlined in Section 3.0. The SPD's detailed descriptions of setting (Part 2, Chapters 4 and 5) emphasise protecting views, visibility, relationships between monuments, and the open, largely undeveloped character of the landscape. Intrusive vertical elements that disrupt skylines or distant backdrops would likely be assessed as harmful to OUV attributes.

In summary, the SPD does not impose an outright ban but establishes a robust assessment framework. Tall/high structures face presumptive sensitivity across the county (and potentially beyond), with a clear intent to safeguard the WHS from visual harm. Developers should undertake early screening and, if required, a proportionate HIA informed by the SPD's methodology and setting descriptions.