Date set for latest A303 Stonehenge tunnel appeal

The challenge will go before the High Court in a matter of weeks

Author: Faye TryhornPublished 2nd Jul 2024

A date's been set for a new appeal against the A303 Stonehenge tunnel to be heard in the High Court.

Campaigners against the £3 billion scheme want to see it scrapped on environmental grounds, and the 'fairness' of the decision making process.

Their case will go before a judge from July 15th - with the hearing rushed through ahead of the summer recess.

The Save Stonehenge group were given permission in May |newtab) for their latest challenge to go before a judge.

The two mile tunnel, plus further upgrades for the route - such as a flyover for Amesbury's Countess roundabout, and a bypass for Winterbourne Stoke - have been opposed by around 238,000 who've signed a petition against the scheme.

UNESCO has also warned that the area could lose its World Heritage Site status. |newtab)

But there's also a race against time for campaigners, who've been crowdfunding to pay their legal fees throughout the process.

They've suggested they're around £20,000 short of their target, and need to raise it by the time the appeal is heard.

In a statement released when the appeal was given permission, A303 Stonehenge Project Director for National Highways, David Bullock, said:

“We are hugely disappointed by this decision, which will cause more delays to this scheme as the next stage of the legal process unfolds.

“However we will participate fully in any future legal proceedings to continue to present the case for the scheme, working closely with the Department for Transport.”

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