Planning Case Study 152

Application H/2015/0209 (Site 1)

2014
A pre-application enquiry was made in October 2014 for new cul-de-sac development. It was outside the known extent of the medieval village but Anglo-Saxon finds had been reported immediately to the south and east.

The applicant’s planning statement said that they would produce a desk- based assessment and carry out geophysical survey and trial trenching in support of the application as required. This approach was supported by the archaeological advisor to the LPA.

2015
The desk-based assessment was produced and geophysical survey carried out in March 2015. Some linear features of potential archaeological origin were noted. The planning application, together with the desk-based assessment and geophysical survey, was submitted in June.

Advice to the LPA was that trial trenching would be required to properly identify the significance of the application site. This was carried out (and the report produced) in July. It revealed significant archaeology including evidence for what at the time was thought to be a small Anglo-Saxon cemetery and several linear features with well preserved environmental evidence. Excavation secured by a pre-commencement condition was recommended by the LPA’s archaeological advisors.

2016
A second, informal enquiry concerning the same site was made to the LPA’s archaeological advisors August 2016 by a new developer for an amended proposal for a larger area with 22 houses.

In the light of the enquiry and the results of the evaluation undertaken in 2014, Historic England was consulted by the LPA’s archaeological advisors regarding the importance of the application site (including the additional area) and its suitability for scheduling. Historic England agreed it could be of national importance but declined to schedule the site due to lack of information, in particular regarding the date of the cemetery. A brief was therefore provided to the new developer in October 2014 for further targeted evaluation and radiocarbon dating.

2017-18
Further trenching was carried out in February 2017 and identified additional significant archaeology including the remains of at least six more burials. At this point, the new developer withdrew their interest in the site and the development proposal was taken up again by the original applicant. The original application for 15 dwellings was then approved by the LPA in March 2017.

Enquiries were received from archaeological contractors in September 2017 regarding excavation of the site and a brief was provided for excavation in October. A WSI from the appointed contractor was approved in April 2018, excavation commenced in May and is still continuing (as of September 2018).

The cemetery has been revealed as extensive and multi-phased with potentially 180-200 inhumations probably dating from the early medieval through to the medieval period. Associated activity is also represented to the west with ditches, gullies and postholes.

H/2016/0140; H/2017/0174 (Site 2)

2016
A planning application was made for two houses on land to the east of village. Previous finds from the areas had included an architectural fragment, a silver brooch and anecdotal evidence of human remains.

The archaeological advisor to the LPA recommended field evaluation prior to determination. A brief was produced for the applicant in May 2016 and following this, the application was withdrawn.

A geophysical survey was then received from the applicant in July 2016 revealing a possible wall and ditches to south of the area. An evaluation comprising four trial trenches was undertaken in August 2016. This revealed an E-W-aligned stone wall, three disturbed graves with disarticulated human remains, metalwork and an Anglo-Saxon namestone.

The archaeological advisors contacted Historic England again in September 2016 about possibility of designating this and the adjacent site (see above H/2015/0209), but they declined to do so. A site meeting took place with the owner and applicant in December 2016 following receipt of the report from Historic England. The owner agreed to submit a new application with single house in the much less sensitive western part of the site with provision for archaeological mitigation. The application was re-submitted in April 2017 as agreed, together with a request by the archaeological advisors for an archaeological monitoring condition, and it was approved on this basis by the LPA.