Planning Case Study 42
Land on the north east side of Priors Hill and opposite Hill Farm, Priors Hill, Pirton, Hertfordshire
Planning scenario(s)
Heritage assets affected
Non-designated heritage assets of archaeological and historic interest Scheduled Monument
Type of application & broad category
Local planning authority
Authority: North Hertfordshire District Council
References: 14/03369/OP- withdrawn; 17/04239/OP – approved August 2018
Development proposal
14/03369: Outline application for residential development. Land on the North East Side of Priors Hill and opposite Hill Farm, Priors Hill, Pirton.
17/04239: Outline application for the erection of 24 dwellings (including 8 affordable dwellings), together with provision of open space with seating, a perimeter path, archaeological information boards, footpath link and access to Priors Hill.
Archaeological information known about the site before the planning application was made, or before the development commenced, as appropriate
Known potential moderate. Adjacent to known late Iron Age and Roman remains, but no archaeology known from the site itself. An evaluation in an adjacent area of the field in 2012, followed by archaeological monitoring, had recorded pits and postholes containing prehistoric pottery, a Roman pit, and a few possibly later features.
Archaeological/planning processes
Pre-determination evaluation requested for application 14/03369. This comprised geophysical survey and trial trench evaluation undertaken in 2015.
The geophysical survey identified anomalies of archaeological origin, which were then evaluated, identifying the probable remains of prehistoric burial mounds and evidence of 5th to 9th century Anglo-Saxon settlement and burials. The Anglo-Saxon evidence was considered to be nationally important and an application was made by on behalf of the local community to schedule these remains. This was successful and the planning application was withdrawn in October 2016.
A further application - 17/04239/1/OP - to develop part of the original application area was submitted to the LPA at the same time as an application was made to Historic England by the owner to de-schedule the part of the planning application site that was designated as a Scheduled Monument. The latter was successful, and further pre-determination archaeological investigation of the development site (including the newly de-scheduled area) was carried out in response to the planning application. The evaluation revealed a further single inhumation burial which was fully excavated as an additional phase of the evaluation. The application was approved in August 2018 with a pre-commencement condition.
Outcomes: archaeological
Pre-determination evaluation of an area of moderate archaeological potential (based upon information including an evaluation of an adjacent area) led to remains of national importance being identified.
An application to Historic England to schedule the site was successful although the scheduled area was later reduced in size following an application by the owner.
The owner withdrew the initial application and later submitted a new application for residential development excluding the reduced scheduled area. This application was approved in 2018 following the results of a 2nd archaeological evaluation. It is likely that further burials will be discovered from excavation of the site in due course.
Other outcomes/outputs e.g. other public benefit such as public engagement, research and new/changed work practices
The results of the archaeological evaluations are significant for research and understanding of the mid/late Saxon period in the local region.
The scheduled area is planned to be a public open space with an information board.
References and links/bibliography
- Archaeological Solutions Ltd 2015, Land at Pollards Way/Priors Hill, Pirton, Hertfordshire: a geophysical survey. Unpublished report.
- Archaeological Solutions Ltd 2015, Land at Pollards Way/Priors Hill, Pirton, Hertfordshire: trial trenchevaluation. Unpublished report.
- (CgMs) Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited 2018, Land adjacent to Priors Hill, Pirton, Hertfordshire: An Archaeological Evaluation. CgMs unpublished report.
- (CgMs) Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited 2018, Land adjacent to Priors Hill, Pirton, Hertfordshire: An Archaeological Evaluation. CgMs unpublished report.
