The green light was finally granted on Friday following a long-running planning saga.

Planning permission for the scheme was originally granted in 2020 but was quashed by the High Court in 2021 following a campaign by local residents.

The three-way European MORE joint venture between Spanish contractor FCC, Italy’s WeBuild and Austria’s BeMo Tunnelling is lined-up as main contractor on the eight-mile stretch of road upgrade.

The FCC-led JV has enlisted Atkins, Jacobs and Spanish designer Sener as the design joint venture.

The main works contract covers the construction of the proposed tunnel’s civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and technology components, including the tunnel boring machine, along with the approach roadworks and structures over the five-year construction phase.

Costain and Mott MacDonald have been awarded the £60m contract to be the project’s Delivery Assurance Partner to help co-ordinate and oversee construction of the scheme.