Council confirms 'win win solution' for Rotherwas Ribbon

Herefordshire Council confirmed today (6 September 2007) what it called a 'win win solution' to protect the Rotherwas Ribbon archaeological find, explore opportunities for tourism and safeguard the jobs and businesses that depend on the new Rotherwas access road.

The council's cabinet debated a 50-page report on how the Ribbon should be preserved for further generations. It heard that the council has made an application for funding to English Heritage to enable further archaeological investigation of the presumed course of the Ribbon to north and south of the original course of the access road. This will help define the extent and nature of the find and allow the council to consider further options to develop opportunities for tourism, heritage and education.

Depending on the results of any further investigation, the council proposes to prepare a conservation plan and determine how public access to the Ribbon could be achieved, evaluating the potential for a permanent visitor centre.

English Heritage has been involved since the discovery of the Ribbon and its experts have advised that the council's engineering solution, to cover the site with layers of protective membranes and sand, will protect it for future generations. This was essential as leaving the Ribbon exposed to the elements would eventually destroy it.

The council approved the completion of the Rotherwas access road, which is essential for the completion of the £20-million Rotherwas Futures project, which will transform the existing Rotherwas Industrial Estate, the county's key employment site which houses 125 companies. Welcomed by business, the project will include a flood alleviation scheme, create new jobs and help Herefordshire's economy to compete.

The cabinet heard that abandoning or re-routing the access road to avoid the archaeological find could cost council taxpayers from £6 million up to £110 million, according to a range of options which included the building of a tunnel under the Rotherwas Ribbon. Instead the archaeological find will be protected in line with advice from archaeologists and best practice.

The council stopped work on the Rotherwas access road around the Ribbon site earlier this year when the significance of the find was established. It announced the find to councillors and citizens in May. Plans to protect the Ribbon were initially put on hold after popular demand to see it. Around 1,000 people were given escorted tours of during July.

The council covered the site in August to protect it after archaeologists conducted a fingertip clean of the surface to carefully remove deposited silt.

Councillor John Jarvis, cabinet member for the environment, said: "The council often has to balance a number of disparate but passionately-held points of view in order to reach a solution that supports the greater good for Herefordshire.

"We have listened to all the arguments, as well as expert advice, not least English Heritage and professional archaeologists, and we have agreed the best possible way of protecting the Rotherwas Ribbon for future generations, as well as exploring opportunities for tourism and education.

"Furthermore, we have to take into account how we can ensure that Herefordshire has a vibrant commercial and business life, that firms operating here have the best chance to compete and prosper and that new jobs are created to help our young people stay in Herefordshire, get on the housing ladder and enjoy the great quality of life the county has to offer.

"Added to this, we have the interests of council tax payers to heart. The options to build the road around, over or underneath the Rotherwas Ribbon were simply not even remotely viable. At the end of the day we know those who simply want to stop the road will not be happy, but people who genuinely care about the protection of the Rotherwas Ribbon and want to find out more about its extent and character can be assured that we have taken the right course of action".

The cabinet's decision is a key one and the council stated that it can be called in for further scrutiny by other councillors.