Archaeology and the Planning Process
Excavation of a medieval rubbish pit
If you are intending to carry out building work requiring a planning application, you may have to take account of archaeological remains. This page explains the actions that may be required if your development does have the potential to affect such remains. Somerset has a rich and varied heritage that can be seen all around us in the form of buildings and earthworks such as Wells Cathedral, and Cadbury Castle. These monuments are legacies from people who lived in the past and require stewardship by the people who live in the County today. These remains contain irreplaceable information about our past. They are part of our national and local identity and are valuable both for their own sake and for their role in education, leisure and tourism.
Undiscovered Heritage
However many more remains of the past lie beneath the ground surface, under towns and fields, and have yet to be discovered. These are usually only disturbed when new developments such as housing, industry or quarrying unearths them. There are three main types of application that are likely to involve an archaeological response:
- Those close to, or on Scheduled Monuments. These are nationally important and any work will require Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC). The Development Control Archaeologist will be able to advise on this procedure.
- Those located on or close to a known archaeological site.
- Those on areas that have the potential to contain previously unrecorded archaeological remains.
The County Council maintains the Historic Environment Record (HER) which contains details of known archaeology. The HER is used as an initial guide to decide if an application has archaeological implications and the Development Control Archaeologist advises the District Planning Office on the correct procedure to ensure the archaeology is managed. It should be remembered that new information about archaeology comes into the HER all the time and therefore the views on the archaeological sensitivity of a site can change. It is best to contact the Development Control Archaeologist for up to date information if you think your application may involve archaeology.
A medieval pottery figure
Dealing with Planning Conditions
For most minor developments, including small housing schemes, that may affect archaeology the planning application may be approved on the condition that the developer ensures an archaeologist monitors works (such as the digging of foundations) and records any archaeology encountered. If you have received planning permission with such a condition you can contact the Development Control Archaeologist for more information. The Development Control Archaeologist can also provide a list of professional archaeologists who work in the County. On sites where it is clear that archaeology is present but further information is needed of the likely impact of a development, the developer may be asked to ensure that an evaluation is undertaken.
An evaluation is a staged process that seeks to discover exactly what archaeology is present on a site. Apart from gathering information from existing documents (such as maps), it can involve scientific techniques such as geophysical survey (which produces a picture of archaeology under the ground) and trial trenching. The latter is often required in order that buried archaeology be mapped, characterised and dated. This information is used by the Planning Officer to decide on how best to preserve or record the archaeology that the proposed development will affect. The cost of this and any subsequent work is the responsibility of the applicant. Failure to provide this information could result in the deferral or even the refusal of the application. The results of an evaluation enable a detailed mitigation strategy to be planned before the application is determined.
If the archaeological remains are considered to be very significant mitigation will aim to preserve as much in-situ as possible and fully record any remains that will be damaged by the development. This is often achieved by careful design, such as leaving the archaeology under open spaces, or using certain types of building foundations to avoid damage. In some cases where it is difficult to preserve archaeological remains it may be that a structured recording exercise is required during any ground working. In rare cases an Archaeological Excavation may have to take place prior to any development of a site. Where this is required the Development Control Archaeologist will devise and monitor an appropriate scheme to ensure that all work carried out is at the appropriate standard.
Roman remains at Shepton Mallet
Excavation
This form of mitigation is only used when there is no other method of preserving the archaeology on a site. Normally excavation only takes place on large-scale or very important sites and involves the archaeological investigation of an area before development starts. Excavation ensures that all the archaeology present on a site is fully recorded before development begins.
Members of the public on a site open day
Whenever possible Somerset County Council encourage public participation in archaeological investigations, which in many cases takes the form of a public open day. These are very successful events which give members of the local community an opportunity to experience their heritage and to meet the archaeologists involved in the excavation.
Steve Membery Development Control Archaeologist
The Castle
Taunton
srmembery@somerset.gov.uk
Tel: 01823 424 049
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