Wiltshire Council’s Leader has expressed his anger and disappointment at the Government’s plans to revoke the development consent order for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down Stonehenge Tunnel scheme.
The Government halted the project in July 2024, but the powers to build the tunnel – as outlined in the development consent order – remain in place following approval by the previous Government in 2023.
The Department for Transport has now issued a draft revoking order, with people and organisations able to make representations about the proposal until 21st November. A final decision would then follow once the representations have been considered.
The removal of the development consent order would mean that if any future Government wanted to proceed with the project, the whole process would have to start from the very beginning once again.
Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “Revoking the development consent order for the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel is completely unacceptable, not least because the Government has done nothing to facilitate an early discussion on an alternative solution. Our representation to the Government will reflect this in the strongest possible terms.
“This proposal disregards years of planning, consultation and investment, and throws away a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve one of the region’s most vital transport corridors.
“The consequences of this decision are far-reaching. It would condemn local communities to continued congestion and rat-running; it would undermine efforts to unlock jobs and investment across Wiltshire and the wider South West; it wastes public money and the infrastructure already put in place; it compromises the environmental benefits that could have been achieved; and it also delays any future progress by forcing the entire process to start from scratch.
“This is not just a setback – it’s a complete step backwards for a region that is severely lacking in Government investment compared to other parts of the country. Wiltshire deserves better, the South West deserves better, and we will continue to fight for the infrastructure our communities need and deserve.”
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