XN000022-1981-06-22 — Page 6

MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1981

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THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD IS A STATUTORY BODY SET UP IN 1976 TO ADVISE THE AUTHORITIES ON ANY MATTERS RELATING TO ANTIQUITIES OR MONUMENTS.

IN THE 1980 ANNUAL REPORT. THE BOARD'S CHAIRMAN, MR BRIAN WILSON, WHO IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES, SAID THAT THE BOARD HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED AT THE DELAYS AND LACK OF SUCCESS ON THE QUESTION OF PROCEDURE FOR DECLARATION OF MONUMENTS.

+ IN THE FOUR YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE, NOT A SINGLE POTENTIAL MONUMENT IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP HAS BEEN DECLARED, AND SEVERAL CROWN LAND CASES HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING SINCE 1977, + HE SAID.

HE FELT THAT THERE WAS A GROWING NEED FOR SOME OTHER MORE SWIFTLY APPLIED PROCEDURE WHICH WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE LESS EFFECT ON THE INTERESTS OF OWNERS AND WHICH WOULD PROVIDE INTER IM PROTECTION SO AS TO ENSURE THAT NO POTENTIAL MONUMENT WAS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED WHILE THE MERITS OF THE CASE WERE CONSIDERED.

MR WILSON BELIEVED THAT WITH THE PRESENT PROCEDURE, THE CARDS WERE STACKED AGAINST CONSERVATION.

+WHERE THERE IS ANY CONFLICT BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT, IT IS TOO OFTEN THE CASE THAT DEVELOPMENT WINS,+ HE SAID.

HOWEVER HE NOTED THAT DESPITE THIS, THERE WERE REFRESHING SIGNS OF A BODY OF OPINION IN FAVOUR OF PRESERVING HISTORICAL PLACES.

THE REPORT ALSO DISCLOSED THAT AMENDMENTS HAD BEEN PROPOSED TO THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR LEGAL PROTECTION OF SPECIAL SITES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTEREST (SSAI'S).

THE REGISTRATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES AS SSAI'S IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DEVICE FOR MARKING SITES ON LAYOUT PLANS TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING IS DONE TO HARM THE SITES WITHOUT PRIOR CONSULTATION.

+FOR SOME TIME, IT HAS BEEN FELT THAT THIS WAS ONLY A HALF- MEASURE, BECAUSE IT LEFT DEVELOPERS AND PLANNERS WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY HAD ONLY TO GIVE PRIOR NOTICE (FOR AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESCUE OPERATION) AND THEN TAKE OVER THE SSAJ,+ MR WILSON SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CASES WHERE SSAI'S HAVE BEEN LOST AS A RESULT OF DEVELOPMENT. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE BOARD AGREED THAT SSAI'S SHOULD RECEIVE LEGAL PROTECTION BY DECLARATION SO AS TO MAKE IT CLEAR AT AN EARLY STAGE THAT PLANNING CANNOT INCLUDE TAK ING OVER AN SSA AND THAT IT IS WRONG TO ASSUME THAT SSAI'S ARE EXPENDIBLE AFTER GIVING NOTICE.

THE OBJECT, HE EXPLAINED, IS TO PROCLAIM A LEGAL +HANDS-OFF+ POLICY.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INTERESTED IN OBTAINING A FREE COPY OF THE ANNUAL REPORT MAY CALL THE USD ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS OFFICE AT TELEPHONE NO. 3-7216283.

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