Campaigners opposed to plans to build a road tunnel through Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, are having their day in court this week.
The group, Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site, which has been campaigning to protect the site for 20 years, is running a crowdfunded legal challenge to the government’s decision to approve the construction of a £2bn tunnel and road under the UNESCO World Heritage site.
They say that the new road and tunnel would cause massive and irreparable damage to the archaeology and landscape in violation of the UK’s international commitments to safeguard Stonehenge for future generations.
Meanwhile, supporters of the tunnel say it will protect and enhance the site by removing an unsightly busy road from the landscape.
Starting from today, the group is bringing a three-day judicial review of the decision in front of a High Court judge. Although most High Court hearings are currently being held via video conference, this hearing is taking place at the Royal Courts of Justice and streamed online to observers.
Specifically, the campaigners argue that the secretary of state for transport should have considered the harm to each heritage asset on the site and not the site as a whole; he didn’t properly weigh the evidence relating to the harm that might be done; he didn’t take into account that development consent would breach the World Heritage Convention; and he left out various necessary consideration.
Lawyers for the government will make their case tomorrow.
The hearing is scheduled to last until the end of the week with judgment given at a later date.
