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Activists were unsuccessful in their legal protest against the proposed construction of a roadway tunnel in close proximity to Stonehenge.
Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) challenged Transport Secretary Mark Harper’s backing of plans which include the two-mile tunnel, to overhaul eight miles of the A303.
The High Court revoked the previous approval for the National Highways project in July 2021 due to concerns over its potential environmental impact on the location.
The Department for Transport (DfT) gave the green light for the tunnel to be built from Amesbury to Berwick Down in Wiltshire on July 14 of last year, after approving it previously.
In December, the activists brought a lawsuit to the High Court in London to contest the decision to renew the plans.
Yet, in a judgement made on Monday, Judge Holgate mostly rejected their argument, concluding that the majority of their case was not justifiable.
Cars are constantly moving on the bustling A303, which is located next to the historic neolithic monument.
The legal attempt concerning the DfT’s handling of an environmental impact assessment will be decided at a future date.
According to the 50-page decision by Mr Justice Holgate, the ministers appropriately prioritized the relevant policies and the evidence provided by the campaigners does not justify overturning their conclusion.
At the previous year’s hearing, David Wolfe, representing SSWHS, stated that the Government had not properly considered other options for the project. He also mentioned that activists believed National Highways had presented inaccurate information regarding the project’s impact on heritage sites, and had based their analysis of traffic estimates on flawed data for the A303.
However, James Strachan KC, for the DfT, said the Government concluded the project was “consistent with the UK’s obligations” under the world heritage convention and that it would work with advisory bodies to “minimise harm”.
The Government has stated that the positive effects of the scheme outweigh any negative impacts, including minimal harm to heritage assets.
The National Highways organization has announced their proposal to construct a tunnel that will eliminate the visual and auditory impact of vehicles passing through the area, as well as reduce travel time.
In November 2020, the then-transport secretary Grant Shapps approved the project, despite warnings from Planning Inspectorate officials that it would have a lasting and irreversible negative impact on the area.
The decision made by the High Court was successfully challenged by the SSWHS alliance.
Source: independent.co.uk
