A decision on the chosen site and architect for the long-awaited £20m Stonehenge visitor centre in Wiltshire is expected by mid February.

A spokesperson for English Heritage, which is working in partnership on the project with the DCMS, said a decision must be made very soon if the project is to meet its deadline of being completed in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A project board meeting will be held at the end of this week.

The original plans would have seen a new visitor centre being built outside the World Heritage Site but there are now five, yet to be identified, site options for the new centre. All of which include the closure of the A344 as well as improvements to the area.

English Heritage is in charge of choosing the architects, but said a decision will be announced along with the site "very soon".

According to BDOnline the competing designers are Edward Cullinan Architects, Denton Corker Marshall and Bennetts Associates. English Heritage declined to comment or confirm.

The project to improve access to Stonehenge and to enhance the visitor experience has been under consideration by the DCMS for over eight years. The latest plans included a 2.1km tunnel to house the A303 as well as a new visitor centre, but when the government decided to cancel the road plans due to its expense, it also made planning permission for the visitor centre invalid.

A planning application is expected to be submitted this summer.