DEVELOPMENT consent for the proposed A303 tunnel scheme has been "quashed".

That's according to an update posted on the Planning Inspectorate website dated August 10.

It comes after the High Court judgement last month that Transport Secretary Grant Shapps had acted unlawfully in granting planning permission for the project.

The post says: "Following an Order of the High Court made on 30 July 2021 the decision of the Secretary of State dated 12 November 2020 to grant the application by Highways England for development consent for the proposed A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down has been quashed. The Secretary of State must now re-determine that application.

"Further details on the re-determination process will be published here in due course."

'Material error of law'

In his ruling, Mr Justice Holgate found the decision was “unlawful” on two grounds.

He concluded that there was a “material error of law” in the decision-making process because there was no evidence of the impact on each individual asset at the historic site.

He also found that Mr Shapps failed to consider alternative schemes, in accordance with the World Heritage Convention and common law.

The judge said: “The relevant circumstances of the present case are wholly exceptional.

“In this case the relative merits of the alternative tunnel options compared to the western cutting and portals were an obviously material consideration which the (Transport Secretary) was required to assess.

“It was irrational not to do so. This was not merely a relevant consideration which the (Transport Secretary) could choose whether or not to take into account.

“I reach this conclusion for a number of reasons, the cumulative effect of which I judge to be overwhelming.”

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