UK court overturns govt go-ahead for Stonehenge road tunnel

[Judi Lynn]

Issued on: 30/07/2021 - 19:36
Modified: 30/07/2021 - 19:34



UNESCO had warned the road tunnel put at risk Stonehenge's World Heritage Site status Adrian DENNIS AFP
2 min

London (AFP)

A British court on Friday overturned government approval for the construction of a controversial road tunnel close to the Stonehenge stone circle, following opposition from historians, archaeologists and druids.

The ruling came after UNESCO confirmed that the prehistoric site would be added to its "in danger" list if the project went ahead and warned it could lose its World Heritage Site status.

The High Court ruled in favour of a judicial review and threw out consent for the road-building project given by the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, in November 2020.

Those opposed to the plan, including an umbrella group called the Stonehenge Alliance, had warned against the massive engineering project in an area full of archaeological treasures around the standing stones, with the road tunnel starting and ending within the site.

Druids who revere the mystical monument as sacred also protested against the scheme.

. . .

Historian Tom Holland, who has campaigned against the plan, tweeted that the decision was "wonderful news".

"Hoping the Government will accept this ruling, & save the £2 billion of taxpayers' money they were planning to blow on a shameful act of desecration," he added.

More:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210730-uk-court-overturns-govt-go-ahead-for-stonehenge-road-tunnel