The Road That Vanished — And What Came Back in Its Place

When the Hindhead Tunnel opened in 2011, it allowed the old section of the A3 road that cut through Hindhead Common and the Devil's Punch Bowl to be removed entirely, triggering one of southern England's most successful rewilding projects. The National Trust restored the landscape's natural contours, replanted native species, and reconnected habitats, leading to the rapid return of protected species such as nightjars and woodlarks. The project also significantly improved local air quality, with pollution levels falling below legal limits within two years of the tunnel's opening.