"The granting of the DCO was always perverse given the enormous damage it would have caused to the unique landscape of the Stonehenge world heritage site. The scheme was condemned by planning inspectors as well as Unesco's experts, yet the government at the time rode roughshod over the evidence."
"He added: The area is an entire landscape that is full of prehistoric monuments of incalculable value. The campaign group has urged the government to use some of the saved budget on public transport networks in the area instead."
A proposed tunnel project under Stonehenge has been officially cancelled by the Department for Transport after decades of controversy. The scheme, first proposed in 1994, was designed to ease traffic congestion with a tunnel, two junctions, and a northern bypass. Although approved in 2023, the Labour government halted the project in 2024 when costs reached £1.4 billion. The revocation of the development consent order means the project is scrapped, requiring complete replanning if anyone attempts revival. Planning expenses alone totaled £179.2 million. Campaigners opposed the tunnel due to potential damage to the UNESCO World Heritage site and its surrounding prehistoric monuments. Supporters had advocated for the tunnel to address congestion issues.
#stonehenge-tunnel-cancellation #infrastructure-project #unesco-world-heritage-site-protection #government-planning-decision #environmental-conservation
Read at www.theguardian.com
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