Druids, heritage defenders and environmentalists rejected in their fight against the Stonehenge tunnel

The road project approved by the government could cost the legendary archaeological site of Stonehenge its UNESCO heritage listing, as happened to the historic port of Liverpool, disfigured by imposing constructions.

On Monday February 19, British justice rejected the appeal of opponents of a road tunnel project near the prehistoric site of Stonehenge, in the southwest of England. Part of the appeal, relating to the Ministry of Transport's approach to environmental impact, will nevertheless be decided later, while the 50-page judgment rejects the arguments raised by the plaintiffs.

The Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) group, which brings together opponents of this controversial project, filed a new appeal after the new green light given by the British government in July 2023. Justice had blocked the first time two years previously. project on the site because the government had not considered alternative solutions, as required by the status of the site classified as a UNESCO world heritage site.

At the first of three days of hearing last December, around fifty opponents, including followers of Druidism who celebrate pagan festivals every year on the occasion of the solstices at Stonehenge, gathered in front of the High Court with banners and shamanic drums.

Built in stages between approximately 3000 and 2300 BCE, Stonehenge is one of the most important prehistoric megalithic monuments in the world in terms of its size, sophisticated plan and architectural precision.

The road network manager National Highways argues that this tunnel of approximately three kilometers will make it possible to streamline traffic, which is important on this axis. In his written submissions, the Department of Transport's lawyer assured that the project was “consistent with the United Kingdom's obligations” to the World Heritage Convention.

Conversely, a panel of specialists estimated that this project risked causing “permanent and irreversible damage” to the site listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1986. In 2021, UNESCO warned that the prehistoric site would be added to its list of sites “at risk” if the project were implemented.