Development Consent Order(DCO) and Redetermination 

Reference material:

A303 Stonehenge Planning Inspectorate: Overview and ‘What Happens Next’

A303 Stonehenge Planning Inspectorate: Examination Library 

A303 Stonehenge Planning Inspectorate: Recordings of Issue Specific and Open Floor Hearings 

Overview of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) and DCO planning process: Stonehenge Alliance explainer  

Summary of the Stonehenge Alliance case against the A303 Stonehenge DCO

Timeline of process with Stonehenge Alliance written representations and submissions

The links on the timeline below take you to documents principally published on the Planning Inspectorate website library.

2022

• April 29 – Invitation by Transport Secretary to comment on Applicant’s update to  Section 4 on Carbon.  Deadline 10 June 2022.
• April 26 – 1,237 entries in response to Transport Secretary’s consultation letter of 24 February 2022
• April 4 – Deadline for comment on National Highways’ reapplication and justification.  Members of public (unregistered Interested Parties) have responded, but their comments will only be published at the Transport Secretary’s discretion.
• February 24 – Sec of State’s invitation to Interested Parties to comment on his Statement of Matters and National Highways’ responses by 4th April 2022
• January 23 to February 23 – National Highways responses and further information submitted to Transport Secretary’s Statement of Matters published under Documents dated 23/01/22, 24/01/22 and 23/02/22

2021

• November 30 – Secretary of State’s Statement of Matters and invitation to the DCO Applicant to make further representations for the purposes of his re-determination of the scheme
• October 27 – Chancellor’s spending review omits budget for A303 Stonehenge scheme – see media report
• August 10 – Notice that the Transport Secretary will re-determine the DCO Application
• July 30 – High Court judge rules against the Secretary of State’s decision to proceed with the scheme: judgment by The Hon. Mr Justice Holgate: Summary | Full

2020

• November 12 – Publication of Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report (Submitted to the Transport Secretary on 2 January 2020, published by the Planning Inspectorate at the same time as the Transport Secretary’s decision)
  – Appendices (See page 111, Appendix C for list of abbreviations)
• November 12 – Decision by Transport Secretary (cover letter) and his Decision Letter  (giving reasons for going ahead with scheme)
• September 28 – Department for Transport invitation to key players for comments on responses
• August 13 – Stonehenge Alliance response to consultation on Late Neolithic Pit Structures  and response from Consortium of Archaeologists and the Blick Mead project team
• July 17 – Decision by Transport Secretary (delayed)
• July 16 – SoS requests further information and consults on Late Neolithic Pit Structures
• June 25-26 – Stonehenge Alliance and the Consortium of specialist archaeologists write to Transport Secretary about implications of major new archaeological find in WHS
• May 28 – Stonehenge Alliance to Transport Secretary: response to queries of 4 May 2020 
• May 27-28 – Stonehenge Alliance and Council for British Archaeology comment to SoS on responses from Highways England, Historic England, and Wiltshire Council
• May 18 – all responses published on Infrastructure Planning website
• May 16 – Stonehenge Alliance responds with comments
• May 4 – Transport Secretary asks for comments and information from Highways England, Historic England and Natural England
• April 29 – Transport Secretary announced Decision delayed until 17 July 2020
• April 2 – Expected Decision by Secretary of State for Transport
• March 12 – The Stonehenge Alliance reacts to Chancellor’s budget announcement on 11 March 
• January 2 – Examining Authority’s Report and Recommendation sent to Secretary of State for Transport (not published)

2019

• December 14 – Deadline to register as an Interested Party
• October 2 – Examination closed
• September 25 – Stonehenge Alliance summary of case submitted to the Planning Inspectorate
• May 17 – Stonehenge Alliance to Planning Inspectorate concerning information still missing
• April 17 – Stonehenge Alliance to Planning Inspectorate : concerning Hydrogeological reports, Groundwater Monitoring & Modelling reports
• April 11 – Planning Inspectorate’s Examination procedure with timetable (Annex A)
• April 2 – Start of Examination of Scheme: Examining Authority’s Preliminary Meeting for Interested Parties at Salisbury Racecourse
• January 30 – Stonehenge Alliance to Planning Inspectorate: concerning lack of relevant information
• January 30 – Stonehenge Alliance to Planning Inspectorate : concerning lack of critical information from Environment Agency
• January 10 – Stonehenge Alliance relevant representation – accepted

2018

• December 14 – Stonehenge Alliance to Jesse Norman, Minister of Transport: concerning limited registration period
• December 8 – Registration of Interested Parties and submit Relevant Representation begins
• November 16 – Planning application accepted by Planning Inspectorate.
• October 19 – Draft DCO Application by Highways England received by the Planning Inspectorate

Submissions by Stonehenge Alliance and team

Deadline 1 Submission (25 April 2019) – Suggestions for sites to include in itinerary for Accompanied Site Inspection on 21 May 2019

Deadline 1 Submission (18 April 2019) – Highways England: Response to Stonehenge Alliance concerning missing information

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Introduction to Case

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Principal Issue 1 Alternatives Dr. Kate Fielden, BA, D.Phil. and George McDonic, MBE, BL, DIPLTP, DPA, FFB

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Principal Issue 4 Biodiversity, Biological Environment and Ecology Dr. Kate Fielden, BA, D.Phil., with advice of Tracé Williams, MSc., BSc.

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Principle Issue 7 Flood Risk groundwater protection Dr George Reeves, CGeol, CEnv, PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), FGS, FIMMM

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Principal Issue 9 Heritage and the Historic Environment Dr Kate Fielden, BA., D.Phil.

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Principal Issue 10 Landscape and Visual Aspects of the LVIA Andy Norfolk, MSc, Dip.L.A

Deadline 2 Submission(3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Principal Issue 11 Noise and Vibration (Tranquillity) Clive Bentley, BSc (Hons), CEnv, CSci., MCIEH, MIEnvSc. MIOA

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Principal Issue 11 Vibration from tunnel boring Rupert Thornely-Taylor, FIOA

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Principal Issue 13 Transport Planning and Economics Issues Dr Simon Temple, BSc, MSc, D.Phil.

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019)- Written Representation on the Cultural Heritage Value Report Alan James, MA, BSc.

Deadline 2 Submission (3 May 2019) – Written Representation on Concerns about consultation on the Scheme Dr Kate Fielden, BA, D.Phil.

Deadline 3 Submission (from 22 May to 14 June) – Open Floor Hearings Tom Holland, Dr Simon Temple & Dr Kate Fielden and Dr Temple, Dr Fielden and Dr George Reeve

Deadline 3 Submission – Summary of Open Floor Hearing on Climate Change – Mike Birkin, Friends of the Earth

Deadline 4 Submission (21 June) –  Our Summary of Oral Representations made at Specific Hearings and Further comments 

For all later submissions by the Alliance and others, please search ‘Stonehenge Alliance’. on the Planning Inspectorate’s Examination Library site

Other mutual objectors:

• Consortium of Archaeologists and the Blick Mead Project Team
• Council for British Archaeology (CBA)
• Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society

 

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