Wiltshire Council has launched a public consultation on a new planning document aimed at protecting Stonehenge from future development, less than a year after the controversial A303 tunnel project was canceled. The draft supplementary planning document, created with input from Historic England, the National Trust, and the English Heritage Trust, will guide decisions regarding the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site, with a public comment deadline of June 17 and potential adoption in October 2025.
This move matters because it establishes a formal framework to prevent damaging development near one of the world's most iconic prehistoric monuments, following years of conflict over the proposed two-mile tunnel. The cancellation of the tunnel on financial grounds by the Labour government, after UNESCO had threatened to place Stonehenge on its 'World Heritage in Danger' list, underscores ongoing tensions between infrastructure needs and heritage preservation. The new planning document signals a proactive, community-informed approach to safeguarding the site's cultural and archaeological integrity.