Twyford Down : how two decades of "democracy" can produce the wrong route.

This paper unfolds the story of Twyford Down, a three mile road link which completed the M3 between London and Southampton. It began in 1970 with the publication of one route across the water meadows fronting the Winchester College public school which was defeated. Three other options were considered: a tunnel, an upgrade of the existing four-lane by-pass, or a cutting through Twyford Down, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There was considerable opposition to the most environmentally disastrous of the three routes, the Twyford Down route, led by local campaigners, but joined by the statutory and voluntary environmental organisations, MP's, and the EC Commissioner, Ripa Di Meana. Despite this opposition, Commissioner, Ripa Di Meana. Despite this opposition, which included two further public inquiries, a High Court case, the threat of EC legal proceedings, occupation of the site, and extensive media coverage, the Down has been destroyed, along with two statutory Ancient Monuments and parts of the two Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The paper describes how it came to pass that the worst possible route emerged from two decades of "democratic" process, and makes recommendations that may help avert similar tragedies in the future. (A) This abstract only is published in the seminar proceedings.