The government has proposed revoking planning permission for the long-debated A303 tunnel past Stonehenge, a move that has drawn both support and criticism. The decision would mean that if the project were to be revived in the future, it would have to start from scratch.
The tunnel scheme, initially scrapped last year for financial reasons, still retained its planning approval. The proposed route would carry the road beneath the World Heritage Site, reconnecting the ancient landscape while easing traffic on a notoriously congested section of the A303. Proponents say it would also benefit local economies and encourage investment in the south west.
Wiltshire Council described the government’s move as “completely unacceptable”. Parish councillor Paul McKernan, representing Shrewton—one of the villages worst affected by A303 traffic—said the decision “kicks this project generations away”. He described how traffic problems had become routine: “The lives and the livelihoods of the villagers and their quality of life is seriously impacted. It’s a standing joke on a Friday. The village comes to a grinding halt, every Friday, without exception.” Mr McKernan added the area “is just not able to cope with the flow of traffic” when issues occur.
Campaigners have challenged the tunnel plans in court, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Acting chair of the Stonehenge Alliance, Mike Birkin, welcomed the proposal to revoke permission, saying: “It’s really a weight off the future of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site if this planning permission is revoked.”
Archaeologist Professor David Jacques, who has worked for decades at Blick Mead, an ancient spring within the Stonehenge landscape, echoed concerns over heritage impacts. He said the tunnel scheme would likely “have destroyed all the environmental evidence, and without that, we wouldn’t be able to sort of decode it.” He added: “We have got an absolutely precious, unique jewel in the Stonehenge landscape, and you tamper with it at your peril. If you do that, you’re never going to get it back.”
Despite the long-running debate over the tunnel’s benefits, UNESCO has previously expressed concern about the project. Meanwhile, the government has yet to propose a clear alternative for easing traffic. By the time the scheme was initially scrapped, approximately £180 million of the estimated £2 billion project had already been spent.
The Department for Transport said the proposal to revoke planning permission was justified by “exceptional circumstances”. In a statement, it explained: “Given the challenging financial picture we inherited, we had to make difficult decisions about a number of road projects as they were unfunded or unaffordable.” The department added that it remained committed to investing in projects that deliver for the taxpayer and was investing “nearly £5 billion in this year alone” across the UK’s road network.
