Planning Case Study 30

13 Church Street, Owston Ferry, North Lincolnshire

2017

Planning scenario(s)

8 - Pre-commencement archaeological conditions were not attached to a planning permission - Pre-commencement conditions could not be attached to a planning permission resulting in the loss of archaeological information (no c ondition or watching brief/access only condition was provided instead).
9 - Development commenced before required archaeological mitigation had been completed - The commencement of development (with or without a pre-commencement condition) before the completion of archaeological mitigation fieldwork caused problems e.g. Health and Safety; conservation of archaeology; additional resources required, including for agreeing and implementing complex method statements

Heritage assets affected

Listed Building; heritage assets with archaeological and historic interest.

Type of application & broad category

Listed building consent to demolish a listed dwelling and an application to replace it with three dwellings.

Local planning authority

Authority: North Lincolnshire Council
References: PA/2017/534 & PA/2017/1728

Development proposal

As above

Archaeological information known about the site before the planning application was made, or before the development commenced, as appropriate

The Grade II Listed Building was an early-mid 18th century house, with potential earlier origins and possible timber-framing. As such, this was a relatively rare survival in North Lincolnshire.

The building was unoccupied and had fallen into a very dilapidated state since its listing in 1987.

Archaeological/planning processes

The following is a summary of the sequence of events:

  • The Conservation Officer, Historic England and SPAB all sought retention of the building.
  • The recommendation from the archaeological advisor to the LPA was that a pre-determination historic building assessment should be undertaken and if necessary a full record of the building should be made if consent was granted.
  • A demolition order was issued by the local authority under health and safety regulations and the Listed Building was demolished before an assessment could be carried out.
  • Following the demolition of the Listed Building, the archaeological advisor to the LPA recommended that the pre-determination assessment and recording of the demolition debris left on the site should still take place (which included several structural timbers) and of the below-ground remains of the building. A full programme of excavation and recording could then be conditioned, should planning permission be granted for the development.
  • Historic England subsequently advised the LPA that the demolished building held no further significance.
  • The developer promptly removed the remains as being of no significance, no longer listed and under no other planning protection. - The planning authority subsequently granted permission for the new dwellings with a condition requiring an archaeological watching brief.

Outcomes: archaeological

A Listed Building was demolished without pre-determination assessment or any recording before demolition. Some below-ground archaeological recording may be possible during development.