Campaign timeline - Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site

Timeline since the property’s inscription by UNESCO IN 1986.

Link here to Stonehenge Development Consent Order from 2014 to the present

2024

11 March – Appeal lodged with the Court of Appeal
February 19 – Judge Holgate dismissed the case
February 1 – UK Government to submit State of Conservation report to World Heritage Centre with further information on scheme modifications

2023

September 10-25 – UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee meeting: agree to place property on List of World Heritage in Danger if road scheme proceeds, and requested State Party to submit further information of proposed modifications and State of Conservation report to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2024 for examination by World Heritage Committee
August 26 – Legal proceedings initiated on Stonehenge road scheme by Save Stonehenge World Heritage Ltd
August 4 – The A303 (Amesbury to Berwick Down) Development Consent Order 2023 came into force
July 14 – Secretary of State approves the A303 Stonehenge DCO for road widening scheme again: Decision taken at the end of the summer parliamentary session, and prior to the World Heritage Committee meeting contrary to UNESCO’s Mission request.
March 14 – Spring Budget: Following two changes of Government the Secretary of State’s much awaited decision failed to appear in the Chancellor of Exchequer’s Spring Budget and statements on infrastructure

2022

2022 October 14 – Stonehenge Alliance response to UNESCO’s Advisory Mission
2022 October 14 – All responses to UNESCO’s Advisory Mission Report
2022 September 14 – New Transport Secretary letter inviting Interested Parties to provide comments on the Applicant’s response by 28 September 2022.
2022 August 26 – Transport Secretary letter inviting the Applicant to provide comments on the Advisory Mission’s report by 9 September 2022.
2022 August 14 – Stonehenge Alliance response together with wider comment on published responses.
2022 August 25 – The responses to the Secretary of State’s consultation letter of 13 July published together with UNESCO’s Advisory Mission report.
2022 July 18 – Stonehenge Alliance responses to various deadlines and comment: 10 June /4 April
2022 July 13 – Invitation by Transport Secretary to comment on Applicant’s replies to concerns, Deadline 3 August 2022
2022 July 12 – Submissions by National Highways’ replies to concerns
2022 June 20 – Transport Secretary issues letter requesting further comments from the Applicant
2022 June 17 – Responses to consultation to National Highways’ submissions on carbon
2022 April 29 – Invitation by Transport Secretary to comment on Applicant’s update to Section 4 on Carbon. Deadline 10 June 2022.
2022 April 26 – Stonehenge Alliance specialists’ responses published as a single document. For individual topics see blog.
2022 April 26 – 1,237 entries published in response to Transport Secretary’s consultation letter of 24 February 2022
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.
2022 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
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

2021 November 30 – REDETERMINATION 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
2021October 27 – Chancellor’s spending review omits budget for A303 Stonehenge scheme – see media report
2021 August 10 – Notice that the Transport Secretary will re-determine the DCO Application
2021 July 30 – Scheme quashed: 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
2021 February 16 – High Court “Rolled up hearing” of the legal case announced
2021 January 29 – Transport Secretary approves A303 Sparkford-Ilchester upgrade
2021 January 6 – Just over 200,000 signatures recorded on Stonehenge Alliance petition

2020

2020 December 30 – CrowdJustice appeal stretch target of £50,000 reached
2020 December 23 – Application for judicial review made on behalf of Save Stonehenge WHS Ltd (SSWHS)
2020 November 30 – CrowdJustice appeal launched for legal challenge funding
2020 November 12 – Transport Secretary decision to proceed with scheme despite Examining Authority’s recommendation to refuse
2020 July 17 – Decision by Transport Secretary delayed
2020 June 25-26 – Stonehenge Alliance and a Consortium of specialist archaeologists write to SoS for Transport about implications of major new archaeological find in WHS
2020 May 27-28 – Stonehenge Alliance and Council for British Archaeology comment to SoS on responses from Highways England, Historic England, and Wiltshire Council
2020 May 21 – media report that completion of work on A303 Stonehenge will be delayed by a year
2020 May 18 – all responses published on Infrastructure Planning website
2020 May 16 – SA also responds with comments
2020 May 7 – Save Stonehenge WHS Ltd set up to enable a legal challenge should the Transport Secretary decide to proceed with the scheme
2020 May 4 – SoS for Transport asks for comments and information from Highways England, Historic England and Natural England
2020 – 29 April – Transport Secretary announced Decision delayed until 17 July 2020
2020 – 2 April – Expected Decision by Secretary of State for Transport
2020 – 12 March – The Stonehenge Alliance reacts to Chancellor’s budget announcement on 11 March
2020 March 11 – Chancellor funds Stonehenge scheme
2020 January 2 – Examining Authority’s Report and Recommendation sent to Secretary of State for Transport

2019

2019 October 2 – Examination ends
2019 May 20 – National Audit Office publish assessment ‘Improvement between Amesbury and Berwick Down’. Scheme costs range from £1.5 billion to £2.4 billion
2019 April 3 – Start of Examination of Scheme
2019 April 2 – Examining Authority’s Preliminary Meeting for interested parties
2019 May 17 – Stonehenge Alliance to Planning Inspectorate concerning information still missing
2019 April 17 – Stonehenge Alliance to Planning Inspectorate : concerning Hydrogeological reports, Groundwater Monitoring & Modelling reports
2019 January 30 – Stonehenge Alliance to Planning Inspectorate : concerning lack of critical information from Environment Agency
2019 January 10 – Stonehenge Alliance representation – accepted

2018

2018 December 14 – Stonehenge Alliance to Jesse Norman, Minister of Transport: concerning limited registration period
2018 December 14 – Final date to register as an Interested Party
2018 November 16 – Planning application accepted by Planning Inspectorate. The timescale to be published to register as an “Interested Party” and make a “Relevant Representation”.
2018 October 9 – Highways England submit application to Planning Inspectorate. Cost increases to £1.7bn.
2018 July 17 – August 14 Supplementary Consultation on minor alterations
2018 June 5 – Westminster debate led by Alex Burghart MP
2018 February 8 to April 23 – Statutory consultation on proposed scheme. Cost increases to £1.6bn.

2017

2017 July 20 – Institute for Government: red RAG rating in report Government delivery of major infratructure – less is more
2017 March 22 – National Audit Office: Highlights construction risks in its Progress with the investment strategy
2017 September – Announcement of preferred route
2017 January 12 to March 5 – Non-statutory consultation on route option. Cost increases to £1.4bn.

2013 – 2016

2015-2016 – Route assessment and identification
2014 – Scheme included in the Roads Investment Strategy. Budget cost £1.2bn.
2013 – A303 feasibility study announced as part of the Autumn Statement

2002 – 2007 First Stonehenge Tunnel proposal

2007 – Government withdraw scheme from the roads programme
2006 – Conservation groups joint vision statement: 30 March by the following (in alphabetical order):
- ASLaN – Ancient Sacred Landscape Network
- CBA – The Council for British Archaeology
- CPRE – The Campaign to Protect Rural England
- FoE – Friends of the Earth
- ICOMOS-UK – International Council for Monuments & Sites, UK
- Prehistoric Society
- RESCUE – The British Archaeological Trust
- The National Trust
- Transport 2000 – Now Campaign for Better Transport
- WANHS – Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (Wiltshire Museum)
2005 – Review of options after substantial increase in estimated costs
2004 – Public inquiry
2002 – 2.1km initially cut and cover, then short bored tunnel announced. Stonehenge Alliance formed

Key events before formation of Stonehenge Alliance 1986 – 1999

1999 – Preferred route announced
1998 – Scheme re-introduced to roads programme
1996 – Scheme withdrawn from roads programme
1995 – Planning Conference – Salisbury
1994 – 1995 – Further route identification
1994 – International conference by English Heritage “Stonehenge: The Great Debate” Queen Elizabeth Conference Hall, London. National Trust commit to a long bored tunnel
1993 – Public consultation
1991 – 1993 – Initial route identification for improvements to A303
1986 – Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO

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