Wessex council leaders warn against scrapping Stonehenge Tunnel
The leaders of Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and BCP Councils say years of planning and consultation will be wasted if the scheme is cancelled
Last updated 11th Nov 2025
Council leaders across Wessex say scrapping plans for the Stonehenge Tunnel would be a major blow for the region’s future.
They’re warning the Government’s proposal to revoke consent for the A303 project between Amesbury and Berwick Down risks leaving Wessex behind when it comes to investment and growth.
The leaders of Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and BCP Councils say years of planning and consultation will be wasted if the scheme is cancelled, and are urging ministers to rethink their decision.
This all comes after the Government halted the project in July 2024.
However, since then, the DCO has remained in place following its approval by the previous Government in 2023.
The Department for Transport has now published a draft revoking order, with representations invited until 21 November.
If confirmed, the revocation would mean that if the project was ever revived the entire approval process, which has taken years to achieve, would have to restart from the beginning.
In a joint statement, the leaders of Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and BCP Councils, Cllr Nick Ireland, Cllr Bill Revans, Cllr Ian Thorn and Cllr Millie Earl respectively, said: “Revoking the DCO for the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel is a damaging and short-sighted decision that disregards years of planning, consultation and investment. This is a major step backwards for the Wessex area and beyond.
“Wessex and the wider region needs infrastructure investment to unlock our strategic growth ambitions in key sectors that are nationally important, improve connectivity and support communities. The A303 is a vital strategic corridor and this scheme represented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address congestion, improve safety, protect heritage and deliver environmental benefits as part of our wider connectivity requirements to unlock our potential.
“This proposal reinforces the imbalance in Government investment that we see here in Wessex and undermines confidence in long-term planning. We urge the Government to reconsider and work with us on a solution that delivers for our region that will deliver growth.”
In July, the Wessex Partnership leaders confirmed their joint commitment to a series of cross-regional projects to push forward devolution and the creation of a Mayoral Strategic Authority for Wessex.
The proposals include a joint growth plan, plans for regional infrastructure and a Wessex Local Nature Recovery Strategy.