As things stood in 2024 the only thing in the way of research archaeologists and civil engineering contractors from starting work on the damaging road widening scheme at Stonehenge World Heritage Site was the legal appeal. In the event, the A303 Stonehenge project was cancelled on 29 July 2024 as a “low value unaffordable commitment”. It was one of the first acts taken by Rachel Reeves on becoming Labour’s Chancellor of the Exchequer.
SUMMARY: A303 Stonehenge DCO from consultation to present
Pre consultation: 12 January to 5 March 2017 – The promoter, National Highways, published options for a non-statutory consultation to develop route options.
2017 September: Preferred route announced
2018 February 8 to April 23 Statutory: public consultation. This was followed by a supplementary consultation on 14 August 2018
2018 October 18: Draft DCO submitted to Planning Inspectorate – accepted by Planning Inspectorate on 16 November 2018. Click: What is planned? Images, maps & plans.
2019 December 8 to January 11: Registration of Interested Parties to Examination Authority (ExA). Interested Parties are those members of the public who wish to register their objection, or support for the scheme
2019 April 2: ExA’s Preliminary Meeting with Interested Parties, meeting the ExA, setting out timetable for deadlines for receipt of information by the Planning Inspectorate and Accompanied Site Inspections
2019 October 2: End of 6 month Examination. The ExA set out Principal Issues, Written Questions and Issue Specific Hearings. Unlike a public inquiry, there is no cross examination of the scheme promoter by Interested Parties. Instead, the ExA put questions to the promoter and their specialists prompted by Interested Parties.
2019 Summary of Stonehenge Alliance case against the A303 Stonehenge DCO
2020 January 2: ExA Report and Recommendation sent to Secretary of State for Transport. But not published until SoS for Transport reaches a decision.
2019 November 19: Decision by Secretary of State for Transport (having been statutorily twice delayed: 2 April, then 17th July) with letter giving reasons for going ahead with the scheme. ExA report published giving reasons why the scheme should not be approved.
2021 June 23-25: High Court Hearing.
2021 July 30: DCO quashed. High Court judge ruled against the Secretary of State’s decision to proceed with the scheme: judgment by The Hon. Mr Justice Holgate: Summary | Full
2021 August 10: Notice of re-determination of the scheme followed by a Statement of Matters for further representations by the Applicant (National Highways)
2021 January 23 to 2022 August 25: Submissions by Interested Parties and responses by the Applicant including UNESCO’s Joint Advisory Mission report.
2023 July 14: Decision by Secretary of State for Transport: DCO approved.
2023 August 4: DCO came into force
2023 December 12-14: High Court Challenge
2024 February 19: Case dismissed
2024 May 17: Application to appeal decision by Mr Justice Holgate granted
2024 July 24: World Heritage Committee in New Delhi overturns World Heritage Centre’s recommendation to place Stonehenge on List of World Heritage in Danger
July 29: Cancellation of Stonehenge road
⇒ DCO Timeline and links from 2013/14 in full →
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