Wombourne's Woodhenge scrapped over antisocial behaviour fears
Ambitious plans to create a mini version of Stonehenge in a South Staffordshire village have been scrapped because residents feared unruly youths would ruin it.
The £6,000 plans were the brainchild of district councillor Reg Williams, who asked people in Wombourne for their opinions.
But he said the Woodhenge project, which would have been paid for through community funds, will not go ahead because residents do not want young people congregating around it.
He held a consultation and received 124 responses, 60 of them objecting. The rest, a narrow majority, had been in favour and there had been pledges of financial support.
If the plans had come to fruition Woodhenge would have been 65 ft in diameter and 9ft 10in high.
It would have included 24 upright beams and crossbeams to provide an enclosure for a stone round table in the centre.
Paths would have led off the central part of Woodhenge in an area of grassland off Gravel Hill near the centre of the village.
And a plaque would have been carved into solid oak wood to landmark the site.
A consultation document was issued in Wombourne Library last month. It read: "In Wombourne we can have our own henge providing a day to day meeting place which becomes a place for gatherings, performances and even jumble sales.
"The idea is to use a simple design with most parts the same size that can be handled by volunteers who want to be associated with this bold community statement."
A donation for each of the 48 pieces of wood needed – costing £50 each – was invited from Wombourne groups and residents.
Councillor Williams, who has served on South Staffordshire Council since 1995, said: "People were saying they were concerned it would attract youths who might misbehave.
"There wasn't a great response to the consultation and it wouldn't have been right to go ahead when so many people were against it. Some people were quite distressed at the idea that it would be near their homes and we have to respect that."
He said the land was owned by South Staffordshire Council and the cost was just for the materials.
Initially the response was about 10 to one in favour when the idea was proposed at Wombourne Carnival, but wider consultation saw support fall away.
