Planning Case Study 33
Land off Barnsley Road, Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham.
Planning scenario(s)
Heritage assets affected
Non-designated heritage assets with archaeological and historic interest of national importance.
Type of application & broad category
Local planning authority
Authority: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
References: RB/2006/0848 (withdrawn)
Development proposal
Major, Residential, 5ha
Archaeological information known about the site before the planning application was made, or before the development commenced, as appropriate
Wath Hall, the known site of a mediaeval moat.
Archaeological/planning processes
The moated site was proposed for housing development, as part of a much larger area.
A pre-determination evaluation was undertaken in 2005 and comprised geophysical survey and trial trenches. It demonstrated excellent below-ground preservation of the moat and structures on the island. The moat was subsequently assessed by English Heritage as being of schedulable quality.
The planning authority agreed with the recommendation of their archaeological advisors that the application should be refused, as it was contrary to local policies on scheduled/nationally important archaeology.
The applicant then agreed to remove the moat from the development proposal. However, a revised plan still included part of the moated site and both South Yorkshire Archaeology Service and English Heritage objected. Subsequently, although the application was not formally withdrawn, the application for the whole area has been treated as withdrawn by the planning authority.
Outcomes: archaeological
Pre-determination evaluation enabled the moat to be assessed and it was determined to be nationally important. It also led to re-design of the development and contributed to the eventual withdrawal of the development.
References and links/bibliography
- West Yorkshire Archaeology Service 2005, Land off Barnsley Road, Wath-upon-Dearne: Geophysical Survey. Unpublished report.
- West Yorkshire Archaeology Service 2006, Land off Barnsley Road, Wath-upon-Dearne: Archaeological Evaluation. Unpublished report.
