Last chance for people to comment on future of Colchester's Roman Circus
It is the only known chariot-racing track in Britain
Today (8 March) is the last day people can have their say on a new strategy for the management of Colchester's Roman Circus.
It is the only known chariot-racing track in Britain and one of only a few unearthed in northern Europe.
The Roman Circus Management Plan will set out the roles and responsibilities of the council and key stakeholders involved in protecting the site.
It will also provide a vision and framework for its conservation, enhancement, interpretation, presentation and celebration over the next five years.
After the public consultation, the management plan could then be amended to become supplementary planning guidance.
This would further protect the monument and its setting from redevelopment.
Colchester Borough Council has also been running a separate public consultation on a draft development brief for the neighbouring and potentially archaeologically significant Defence Support Group (DSG) site, formerly known as Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO).
It was once used as a military vehicle repair facility and was vacated in 2019.
There are also proposals to extend the Garrison Conservation Area to include the ABRO site, which are now being considered.
This is to help protect the surviving buildings associated with the former Le Cateau Barracks and the setting of the circus.
In light of the Defence Estates' intention to get rid of the site for redevelopment, an informal consultation was carried out last year with councillors, the landowner, Colchester Archaeological Trust, the Civic Society, Historic England, the Highway Authority and Essex Police.
Comments from this have been considered in drafting the development brief.
As with the Roman Circus Management Plan, the status of the DSG brief could eventually be altered to become a supplementary planning document.
Though its remains are now entirely below ground, the scale of the Roman Circus is around 450m in length with an estimated seating capacity of 8,000.
It was discovered in 2005 within the site of the old garrison and is a Scheduled Monument.
This means it has the same status and protection as other heritage sites such as Colchester Castle, the Balkerne Gate and the Roman Walls.
People can take part in the consultations here: