Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

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fras
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by fras »

Why not move Stonehenge so it's out of sight of the A303 ? It'd be a lot cheaper than the tunnel, then the A303 can be dualled on the surface witout any comeback.

Just thinking.....

OK, only a joke !!
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Norfolktolancashire
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by Norfolktolancashire »

fras wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 17:34 Why not move Stonehenge so it's out of sight of the A303 ? It'd be a lot cheaper than the tunnel, then the A303 can be dualled on the surface witout any comeback.

Just thinking.....

OK, only a joke !!
Between a rock and a hard place :)
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KeithW
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by KeithW »

fras wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 17:34 Why not move Stonehenge so it's out of sight of the A303 ? It'd be a lot cheaper than the tunnel, then the A303 can be dualled on the surface witout any comeback.

Just thinking.....

OK, only a joke !!
I can see it now Stonehenge Legoland Brighton :)
RichardEvans67
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by RichardEvans67 »

by Jim606 » Wed Dec 01, 2021 17:41

There's been a bit of movement re; the tunnel. As far as I am aware, National Highways have now been given notice to resubmit a proposal/plan by 11th Jan. 2022 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-w ... e-59487484
Would this mean another year, for the whole DCO process to happen again, or would some parts not have to happen again? Well either way, it's still progress towards it eventually getting built.
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jackal
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by jackal »

RichardEvans67 wrote: Sat Dec 11, 2021 12:51
by Jim606 » Wed Dec 01, 2021 17:41

There's been a bit of movement re; the tunnel. As far as I am aware, National Highways have now been given notice to resubmit a proposal/plan by 11th Jan. 2022 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-w ... e-59487484
Would this mean another year, for the whole DCO process to happen again, or would some parts not have to happen again? Well either way, it's still progress towards it eventually getting built.
The process will be essentially the same as that taken for the A38 Derby Junctions, which also had its DCO quashed: https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... junctions/

The Stonehenge process for comparison (basically the same but has only got as far as the Statement of Matters stage): https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... tonehenge/

The DCO materials stay as they are. The applicant (NH) sends a response to the SoS's Statement of Matters - typically a point-by-point reply to the issues the SoS raises.

NH's A38 Derby Junctions response was 27 pages: https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... 021%20.pdf Compare that to the DCO application itself, which is 250 documents, and you'll see it's a pretty small job (but an important one).

Interested parties can then send in their own representations. And the SoS decides.
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by RichardEvans67 »

I realised it is past the deadline for National Highways to reply to the statement of matters. So I tried some searching. It seems they did reply, but I can't find any more details.

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/civi ... 4-01-2022/
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jackal
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by jackal »

The NH reply has now been published.

I had a quick look at the alternatives document. Much is as per the original application, including the estimates of £264m for a 1km cut and cover extension and £578m for a 1.6km bored tunnel extension. Both would also create safety risks with the A360 junction (which would be close to the cut and cover portal and would have to be relocated as a compact GSJ for the bore - at 50k AADT the A303 would be far beyond the usual 30k limit for a CGSJ). They dismiss various long offline routes for the obvious environmental and transport reasons.

Likewise not much has changed in the carbon document. The scheme is still a miniscule part of the UK's carbon budget that will decrease to zero with electrification.

The main overall change is they assume construction would start next year with opening in 2029.

https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... of+Matters
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JonB2028
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by JonB2028 »

I guess if the SoS determines the scheme can proceed as planned this will end up back in the high court?
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jackal
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by jackal »

It could be challenged but it would be up to the court whether it would hear the challenge - a high bar given they already dismissed all points other than the SoS's failure to consider heritage assets and the alternatives. (I'm assuming he will now read the relevant documents!)
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jackal
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by jackal »

As expected, the DCO has been granted. Decision letter:

https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... Letter.pdf

EDIT - it's an old letter and the PINS update appears to be in error.
Last edited by jackal on Thu Apr 14, 2022 16:47, edited 1 time in total.
Herned
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by Herned »

Fingers crossed, again
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by Bryn666 »

It'll make Twyford Down look like a family picnic...
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A9Dan
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by A9Dan »

That letter is dated 12 November 2020 and refers to the original decision to grant the DCO which was later quashed. According to https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... tonehenge/ the redetermination process is still underway, the latest update to the timeline was on 24 February 2022.
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jackal
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by jackal »

A9Dan wrote: Thu Apr 14, 2022 14:43 That letter is dated 12 November 2020 and refers to the original decision to grant the DCO which was later quashed. According to https://infrastructure.planninginspecto ... tonehenge/ the redetermination process is still underway, the latest update to the timeline was on 24 February 2022.
Good catch about the letter. But you will see here under "Latest activity feed":

A303 Stonehenge: Decision is made
The application for A303 Stonehenge has been granted development consent by the Secretary of State

The letter was published today, so as it's called "Secretary of State Decision Letter", I assumed it was the correct letter. In fact I think someone at PINS has uploaded the previous determination letter. Regardless, I expect the DCO has been granted and the correct letter will be available shortly.
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by Herned »

jackal wrote: Thu Apr 14, 2022 14:51 You will see here under "Latest activity feed" A303 Stonehenge: "Decision is made The application for A303 Stonehenge has been granted development consent by the Secretary of State". The letter I linked was uploaded today, so as it's called "Secretary of State Decision Letter", I assumed it was the correct. In fact I think someone at PINS has uploaded the wrong letter. Regardless, I expect the DCO has been granted and the correct letter will be available shortly.
The last publication in February says submissions have a deadline of April 4. The SoS making a decision within 10 days is radically faster than these sort of things normally take, so seems a bit unlikely, but hoping for the best
A9Dan
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by A9Dan »

It could be that someone simply reuploaded the old decision letter and that triggered the update to "latest activity". Also wouldn't purdah restrictions have prevented a decision from being announced today (3 weeks away from elections)? The Transport Scotland website says that there will be no routine updates during this period.
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jackal
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by jackal »

Actually I think it may be something like that. I see the "Habitats Regulations Assessment" from Nov 2020 was also uploaded today. I can't see the original versions of this or the determination letter in the document library, so possibly someone has noticed their absence and uploaded them (there is a notification of the determination letter but not the determination letter itself).
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jackal
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by jackal »

The activity feed entry has been removed. As you were.
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Norfolktolancashire
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by Norfolktolancashire »

Bryn666 wrote: Thu Apr 14, 2022 14:16 It'll make Twyford Down look like a family picnic...
Just the cost of security on the site will be, dare I say, astronomical!
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Re: Stonehenge - The bored tunnel option

Post by Tinpusher »

Need about 8 machine guns with overlapping fields of fire. Mortar pit. Barbed wire. Might need gas troops to smoke out tunnels.
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