Stonehenge tunnel is formally cancelled by Government after £160million of taxpayers’ cash was spent on the challenge
Plans to build a tunnel under Stonehenge have been officially axed by the government – despite millions of taxpayers’ money being funnelled into the project.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed proposals for the tunnel, which would have moved the notoriously congested A303 under the historic landmark, have been cancelled under ‘exceptional circumstances.’
The tunnel, first proposed in 1994, was approved in 2023 and a development consent order (DCO) for its construction was put in place until 2028.
However, the project was postponed by Labour in 2024 as part of Chancellor Rachel Reeves‘ bid to fill a £20billion ‘black hole’ in public finances she claimed the Tories left.
It was projected that costs for the scheme would reach a staggering £1.4billion – and so far, it has ran up a bill of £179.2million, including planning expenses.
Now, the DfT has officially revoked the DCO for the project, which included the tunnel as well as two junctions and a northern bypass – bringing an end to the long-running and controversial proposals to upgrade the motorway between Amesbury and Berwick Down, in Wiltshire.
The DfT confirmed the decision was made by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and that the tunnel’s construction ‘no longer aligns with current strategic policy objectives.’
It said revocation would ‘remove the planning blight that continues to affect the land in question’ and would allow ‘alternative infrastructure or development proposals to come forward that better reflect current needs.’
Plans to build a tunnel under Stonehenge have been officially axed by the Department for Transport, despite a bill of £179.2million already being spent on its construction
Costs for the scheme, which included the tunnel, two junctions and a northern bypass, were projected to reach a staggering £1.4billion in total
Campaigners have welcomed the decision to scrap the tunnel, saying the scheme would have caused ‘enormous damage’ to the landscape
Caroline Nokes, Romsey and Southampton North MP, labelled the move as ‘disappointing’ for some residents who had hoped it would ease congestion in the area.
She said: ‘The A303 remains the gateway to the West Country, and an important strategic route going past the world’s most famous prehistoric monument is not an ideal combination.’
However, campaign group Stonehenge Alliance welcomed the decision. Acting Chairman Mike Birkin said the landscape of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site (WHS) would have been damaged if construction went ahead.
He said: ‘The WHS is a designation of an entire landscape that is full of prehistoric monuments of incalculable value.
‘The granting of the DCO was always perverse given the enormous damage it would have caused to the unique landscape of the Stonehenge WHS.
‘The scheme was condemned by planning inspectors as well as UNESCO’s experts yet the government at the time rode roughshod over the evidence.’
He added that the revocation of the project will create opportunities to invest some of the saved budget in the region’s active travel and public transport networks to grow business, jobs, housing and access.
Mr Birkin said: ‘The rail network to the South West suffers from a degraded infrastructure which is notoriously unreliable and vulnerable to extreme weather events.
The decision comes as the second time the government has issued a proposal to revoke the order
‘Upgrading the network would contribute to government’s commitment to reducing car mileage as recommended by the Climate Change Committee.’
The decision comes as the second time the government issued a proposal to revoke the order.
They had also done so in November last year, however, this was met with strong criticism by Wiltshire Council.
At the time, council leader Ian Thorne said: ‘Revoking the DCO for the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel is completely unacceptable, not least because the Government has done nothing to facilitate an early discussion on an alternative solution.
‘This proposal disregards years of planning, consultation and investment, and throws away a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve one of the region’s most vital transport corridors.
‘The consequences of this decision are far-reaching. It would condemn local communities to continued congestion and rat-running; it would undermine efforts to unlock jobs and investment across Wiltshire and the wider South West; it wastes public money and the infrastructure already put in place; it compromises the environmental benefits that could have been achieved; and it also delays any future progress by forcing the entire process to start from scratch.
‘This is not just a setback – it’s a complete step backwards for a region that is severely lacking in Government investment compared to other parts of the country.
‘Wiltshire deserves better, the South West deserves better, and we will continue to fight for the infrastructure our communities need and deserve.’
A DfT spokesperson said: ‘Given the challenging financial picture we inherited, we had to make difficult decisions about a number of road projects as they were unfunded or unaffordable.
‘While the decision to cancel the scheme was made in 2024, we remain committed to investing in projects that deliver for the taxpayer and drive growth, which is why we are providing nearly £5 billion in this year alone on our motorways and key A-roads to support maintenance, enhancement, and ensure smoother journeys.’
