The UK Government has given the formal green light by granting a Development Consent Order for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, including the 3.2km long tunnel, which will help to unlock congestion and transform journeys for millions of people using the A303 between the South East and South West.
National Highways’ proposals were initially granted consent in 2020, and following a legal challenge and a High Court ruling against the decision-making process, the application has undergone a thorough redetermination process of more than 12 months before today’s announcement.
National Highways Chief Executive Nick Harris said: “The A303 Stonehenge scheme is part of the biggest investment in our road network for a generation, and I’m really pleased the project has been given the green light by the Secretary of State for Transport – a decision which will enable us to progress this transformational scheme and deliver the planned benefits.
“The decision follows a lot of work on a comprehensive year-long process to reassess our Development Consent Order, looking in detail at possible alternatives, also including cumulative carbon and heritage issues.”
The A303 Stonehenge upgrade includes:
- 12.8km of free-flowing, high-quality dual carriageway between Amesbury and Berwick Down
- a tunnel at least 3.2km long underneath the World Heritage Site, closely following the existing A303 route, but a further 50m away from the Stonehenge monument, avoiding important archaeological sites, and avoiding intrusion on the view of the setting sun from the stones during the winter solstice
- a new bypass to the north of the village of Winterbourne Stoke
- junctions with the A345 and A360 either side of the World Heritage Site
Derek Parody, National Highways’ Project Director for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, added: “The decision represents a major milestone, not only for us as the project team but for all those who have supported this project over a number of years; our stakeholders, the heritage bodies, local and regional businesses and indeed local communities.
“We’re currently analysing the detailed changes within the Development Consent Order and assessing timescales but we anticipate being able to start preparatory work in 2024.”
There is now a six-week period in which parties can lodge an intention to legally challenge the decision, and in the meantime, National Highways will be renewing its plans to prepare for the scheme.
Last year the company awarded the Main Works contract to the MORE joint venture, comprising FCC Construcción, WeBuild and BeMo Tunnelling, to deliver the £1.25bn tunnel and main construction work.
Costain and Mott MacDonald will be operating as the company’s Delivery Assurance Partner, providing technical and construction management expertise by helping mobilise the main works contractor, oversee construction, assist the discharge of consent requirements and assure the design.
The construction phase is scheduled to take five years to complete and ahead of the main work, Wessex Archaeology will carry out archaeological mitigation work, while Octavius (formerly Osborne Ltd) will undertake preliminary work, including the reconfiguration of local authority roads.
Archaeological fieldwork and preliminary work will start first, with the main five-year construction phase to follow that programme.
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