Breaking: Stonehenge landscape, archaeology and free view saved: short tunnel unlawful!!!

Stonehenge road and tunnel decision unlawful, rules judge.

Stonehenge campaigners are celebrating a massive victory after a judge ruled that a decision to allow a dual carriageway, road and tunnel to be built within the ancient World Heritage Site was unlawful.

The judgment effectively quashes development consent for an eight-mile road project which includes two miles of tunnel past Stonehenge and within the World Heritage Site (WHS).

The judge further concluded that the Transport Secretary had made an error of law by failing to consider alternatives to the scheme, such as a longer tunnel, which may have been less damaging to the WHS. This was despite, so the judge remarked, the World Heritage Committee raising alternatives as a vitally important issue in relation to a heritage asset of international importance.

In theory, the Government could appeal but since the judge has ruled they have ” made an error of law by failing to consider alternatives to the scheme, such as a longer tunnel, which may have been less damaging to the WHS” it seems highly unlikely, so hopefully…

FINIS! C’est tout! Bravo!

Trail hunting not yet over, it seems.

You may have thought that with the major landowners like the National Trust temporarily suspending trail hunting following scandalous revelations that it was just a front for illegal hunting, that would be the end of the wretched activity. But no, not as far as some in the Government are concerned: “Councils hand hunts more than £160,000 cash in coronavirus emergency grants. Taxpayer money supports controversial countryside activity in government scheme aimed at saving jobs“

Worse still, Bath and North East Somerset Council has directed £130,000 of taxpayers money to Penny Plant Hire and Demolition despite its connection with foxhunting…

You may well recall the name of the firm. A few years ago it was convicted of ripping up half the Priddy Circles Scheduled Monument.