Stonehenge Tunnel – not a ‘done deal’ yet…..

Whilst the Government may have given the ‘green light’ to the digging of the tunnel for the A303 under Stonehenge, there is a further obstacle to be negotiated before the boring equipment is sent to the pasture land around the ancient monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A legal challenge to prevent the creation of the tunnel has just been announced. Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) has taken the first steps towards a legal challenge of the Government’s approval of the A303 Stonehenge dual carriageway through the World Heritage Site on 14 July, for a second time. Today, Friday 28 July, SSWHS is sending the Government a pre-application protocol letter outlining its concerns about the decision. This is the precursor to it filing a claim for judicial review which needs to be made within 6 weeks of the decision date.

Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) is a limited company set up by three individuals closely associated with the Stonehenge Alliance to specifically challenge the original Government decision.

This weekend marks the second anniversary of the quashing of the original development consent by the High Court after a successful application for judicial review was made by SSWHS in 2021. The Government’s approval flew in the face of opposition from UNESCO and the recommendation for refusal of the scheme by five of the Government’s own independent planning inspectors. In particular, the Government was criticised for not having properly assessed alternatives to National Highways’ damaging proposals.

UNESCO had asked the Government not to approve the scheme ahead of its World Heritage Committee meeting in September.

Chris Todd, one of the three directors of SSWHS, said: “The Government has stuck two fingers up at UNESCO and all those who care about our British heritage. It has basically approved this highly flawed and damaging proposal for a second time. The same scheme that was thrown out in 2021. We believe there are strong grounds why this approval should also be struck down. We will do everything within our power to safeguard this most iconic of sites for future generations.”

SSWHS is now awaiting the Government’s response, which it should receive within two weeks. It will then have two weeks to file its claim. SSWHS has launched a crowdfunder on the CrowdJustice website to fund the legal action.