The Court of Appeal has ruled campaigners trying to stop the now scrapped road tunnel on the A303 near Stonehenge would have lost a legal bid over the proposals.

The BBC reports that in July the Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) was appealing against the decision to refuse a legal challenge of the approved tunnel plan, arguing approval for the development by the then-minister of state for rail and HS2, Huw Merriman, breached a duty to act fairly.

But in a ruling on Wednesday, the Court rejected SSWHS’s bid, after James Strachan, representing the DfT at the court, said Mr Merriman “was provided with no further advice on this issue” of harm to Stonehenge and Sir Keith Lindblom, sitting with Lord Justice Lewis and Lord Justice Stuart-Smith, said the DfT was “lawfully entitled” to approve the proposal.

SSWHS said in July, the Department for Transport’s “approach to environmental impact assessment was unlawful” in relation to greenhouse gas emissions from the development and other road schemes.

Days later, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the new Government “would not move forwards” with the project as she set out cuts to public spending.

During a conversation with the Highways Voices podcast at Highways UK, CEO of National Highways, Nick Harris, commented that legal challenges to National Highways schemes were costing money and time, and that National Highways had never lost a court action.

(Picture – National Highways)