DECISIONS taken about the Stonehenge tunnel could have a knock-on effect at Avebury, the inquiry heard last week.

Following on from archaeologists' concerns, expressed to the inquiry last week, that the proposed 2.1km tunnel, costing £200m, would be inadequate, representatives of the Avebury Society believe the existing scheme also overlooks a significant portion of the World Heritage site.

Ewart Holmes, representing the group, which formed in 1994, said: "Our interest in Stonehenge stems from the fact that it is the other half of a World Heritage site, and decisions taken in one half, at Stonehenge, can have a knock-on effect in Avebury.

"We note that the A303 scheme, which is part of the Stonehenge project, was announced in advance of the Stonehenge Management Plan, and fails to acknowledge the overriding primary emphasis of the latter on conservation, and management of the whole site and its archaeology as a cultural landscape.

Mr Holmes said the primary emphasis of the Stonehenge Management Plan included "improving the interpretation and understanding of the whole of the World Heritage site as a cultural landscape to visitors".

He said: "This is going to be difficult to achieve if the present scheme is to go ahead, as much of the site is divided by the width of the dual carriageways."

The society also believes the proposals for the visitor centre should be considered now, along with the road project.

Mr Holmes said: "I feel that, by just sticking with the road, as it were, a lot of what we have learned over the past 50 years about good planning, as accepted throughout the world, has really just been put to one side.

"Decisions on planning proposals at Avebury and other World Heritage sites indicate that their fabric, setting, wider landscape and archaeological remains are all worthy of protection.

"If a better road option cannot be found, we should wait."

The Avebury Society agreed with archaeologists that a longer tunnel would be a better option.

Responding to the Avebury Society's submission, Charles Clavert, a representative of the Highways Agency, said: "Over a period of some 20 years, every conceivable solution appears to have been considered and rejected, apart from some form of tunnel through the World Heritage site.

"Here, your society appears to be saying that what we need is more time to consider things."

Mr Holmes said that, despite the acknowledged difficulties in finding a solution, this scheme should be refused "reluctantly", so that the universal value of the whole of Stonehenge could be protected along with Avebury and associated sites.

"We are not suggesting that it goes on ice and nothing happens," he said.

"We are looking for some action."