Examination of the Stonehenge tunnel project now underway
Our Alliance has submitted ten documents stating our objections. Altogether that’s 220 pages of detailed evidence with the input of eight authors and expert advisers. You can view our submissions (with summaries) on our DCO Examination page. [See notes 1 and 2 below]
Huge thanks are due to our authors and advisers who have given their time for free or at well below commercial rates. Kate Fielden for the Alliance has personally authored or co-authored some of our submissions as well as co-ordinated everyone else’s, so special thanks are due to Kate.
We’re also very grateful indeed for the generous donations we’ve received from supporters that have got us to this point.
But of course it’s not over yet! The examination still has over four more months to run and there will be many more rounds of reading and rebutting, as well as hearings into specific issues which we’ll be involved in. We’re hoping to bring some of our experts to appear in person and to obtain legal advice during the Examination process, so we will need to raise more funds to make the best of these opportunities.
The first hearings are this week, on Wednesday and Thursday 22 and 23 May, in Salisbury City Hall. These are “Open Floor Hearings” which are not confined to invited experts. Anyone who has registered as an “interested party” has a right to attend and speak. If you want to you’d be well advised to contact the Inspectorate first for a scheduled slot. The hearings are in the evening as well as daytime on both days. [See note 3 below.]
Alliance supporters are speaking on both days and we’ll keep you informed about progress through our website and social media.
NOTES
[1] Topics we have focused on are: Alternative options; Biodiversity, Biological Environment and Ecology; Flood Risk, geology and groundwater protection; Heritage and the Historic Environment; Landscape and Visual Aspects; Noise and Vibration (Tranquillity); Vibration from tunnel boring; Transport Planning and Economics Issues; Cultural Heritage Value Report; and Concerns about consultation on the Scheme. Archaeology is covered by other specialists including the Council for British Archaeology.
[2] For ease of reference our correspondence with the Planning Inspectorate together with our written representations are individually linked on our A303 Stonehenge DCO web page. They are also published under “Documents” on the Planning inspectorate’s Examination Library pages: referenced as REP2-128 to REP2-138.
[3] Open Floor Hearings are detailed in Annex E in a Examining Authority letter to Interested parties. Although the deadline for notification to speak is past, we are aware that few have asked to do so. If you are interested please contact the Inspectorate straight away. The hearings will be held at City Hall, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7TU.
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