The recent approval of a £1.7 billion road tunnel near Stonehenge has ignited a wave of protests and backlash from environmental activists and historians. The project, which aims to alleviate traffic congestion on the A303 road, involves constructing an eight-mile overhaul, including a two-mile tunnel under the historic site.
The Department for Transport granted the development consent order (DCO) for the project, claiming that the harm to the monument’s spatial, visual relations, and settings would be less than substantial. However, the decision has been met with severe criticism from various quarters.
Tom Holland, a prominent historian and campaigner, labeled the project as a “monstrous scheme” and a “tragedy for a globally recognizable icon.” He emphasized that the construction would cause “permanent, irreversible harm” to the area, altering the Stonehenge landscape more than any event in its 6,000-year history.
The tunnel plan has a long and contentious history. In July 2021, a previous DCO for the project was quashed by the High Court due to concerns about its environmental impact. Despite this, the latest approval has pushed forward, with the Department for Transport asserting that the public benefits outweigh the potential harm.
Highways England, the body overseeing the project, believes the tunnel will significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve journey times on the A303, a known hotspot for traffic jams, especially during peak holiday periods. The organization anticipates that the underpass will save approximately 4.8 seconds per mile on a 100-mile journey.
However, opposition remains strong. The Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) alliance, which successfully challenged the previous approval, is exploring legal avenues to contest the latest decision. Environmental activists have intensified their efforts, organizing protests to highlight the potential damage to the site.
The controversy surrounding the tunnel approval coincides with the upcoming Summer Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge, an event expected to draw thousands of visitors. English Heritage, which manages the site, has detailed plans for the solstice, including crowd management and safety measures.
Stonehenge was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, together with the nearby stone circle in Avebury, due to its outstanding universal value. Critics argue that the tunnel project undermines the obligations that come with this designation, setting a dangerous precedent for other countries considering similar developments near protected sites.
The debate over the tunnel has also sparked broader discussions about balancing infrastructure development with heritage conservation. Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, noted that while the decision might encourage A303 users, it still feels like it will be a long time before traffic is removed from the Stonehenge site.
University of Buckingham archaeologist Professor David Jacques, who has led digs at nearby Blickmead for a decade, warned that the tunnel would “clearly compromise” the historical value of the site. He emphasized that the Stonehenge landscape is “unutterably precious” and tampering with it could result in irreversible damage.
The tunnel project continues to face significant hurdles, with ongoing legal challenges and activist efforts likely to shape its future. As the debate unfolds, the world watches closely, weighing the benefits of modern infrastructure against the imperative to preserve one of history’s most iconic landmarks.
