Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) has been given permission to appeal the decision earlier this year by Mr Justice Holgate. He dismissed SSWHS’s application for judicial review of the Government’s decision to approve a highly damaging, £2.5bn road scheme through Stonehenge World Heritage Site, for a second time.

UNESCO, five planning inspectors and over 238,000 people are all opposed to National Highways’ highly damaging plans. Save Stonehenge WHS’s legal action had been the only thing stopping the giant earthmovers from entering this 5,000-year-old landscape.

John Adams, chair of the Stonehenge Alliance and one of the 3 directors of SSWHS, said:

“This is extremely good news. All those who care passionately about our cultural heritage can breathe a sigh of relief. We now have a new opportunity for the Government decision to be thoroughly scrutinised.

“This road scheme would be incredibly damaging to Stonehenge World Heritage Site. Yet, the Government doesn’t seem to care and is desperately trying to bulldoze through this decision before it is thrown out of office.”

Leigh Day solicitor Rowan Smith said:

“This news is very encouraging for our client. In granting permission to appeal, the Court of Appeal acknowledged the scale of public interest around ensuring that a decision about the future of Stonehenge is lawful. 

“The Court said there is a compelling reason for an appeal hearing. Our client is looking forward to presenting arguments about the fairness of the decision-making process relating to the future of Stonehenge as well as compliance with international law protecting the World Heritage Site.”

SSWHS now has to raise a further £34,000 for the Appeal Court. Accordingly, the CrowdJustice page has a new target of £134,000. This is to raise the additional funds needed for the hearing at the Court of Appeal.