Meeting documents

·       Report of the Senior Archaeological Planning Officer

·       Report of the Historic Environment Record Officer

Phillip Markham, Senior Archaeological Planning Officer, gave the following update

 

Richard Pushman, Eliza Alqassar, Archaeological Planning Officer and I recently attended English Heritage workshops and provided advice on the National Heritage Protection Plan.

 

Significant archaeological investigations include;

 

Aston Clinton Stablebridge Road Site

A reserved matters application for 48 houses was granted consent for the erection of 48 houses earlier this year which included an archaeological recording condition recommended by Eliza Alqassar.  The outline application was allowed on appeal.

 

Previous evaluation works for the outline application included a geophysical survey and trial trenching.  This recorded an important trackway or road which crosses the site to join up with Akeman Street.  In addition, at least one Iron Age roundhouse was uncovered along with the remains of rectangular buildings, enclosures and pits, all suggestive of a roadside settlement dating from the Iron Age to Roman periods.

 

This year a conditional written scheme of investigation was agreed and the site has been stripped by University of Leicester Archaeological Services and has been monitored by Eliza.  This has uncovered further areas of the Iron Age/Romano-British settlement, inhumations and has revealed a large section of major routeway likely to be Lower Icknield Way.  This work is ongoing.

 

A public open day was arranged and over 200 school children were shown around the site together with local residents.  This was a great success and was reported in a number of papers, on local radio and TV.

 

The following questions were asked;

 

Bill Chapple said that as the Local Member, he received an invitation to attend the open day.  The visit to the site was fascinating.  It shows how Lower Icknield Way has changed over the years.  There is clear definition of a roundhouse and a Roman House.  It was pleasing to see youngsters taking such a keen interest.

 

Who picks up the cost of the digging i.e. the developer? There is a lot of land around Aylesbury which means that there is the need to invest in a similar site over the next 10 years. The officer confirmed that the developer pays for excavations. Archaeological Officers are part of the planning process i.e. the pre-planning application stage to provide advice and recommendations on what would like to be seen.  There is the possibility that an application could be deferred to allow geophysics and trenches to be carried out.

 

There are some protected buildings in the Broughton area that must be steeped in history.  It will be expensive to dig in this area.  The history needs to be catalogued.  It needs to be ensured that funding is available to do this. The Officer explained that Conservation Officers provide advice on developments and support master planning.  Trial trenches, field walking and geophysics can be carried out to get an idea of the archaeological significance. If there is a significant find, we need to make sure that this can be incorporated as early as possible and that a full excavation is carried out if the master-plan can’t work around the area.

 

Applications should come in small tranches. The current system works well.  Developers are required to comply with recommendations from Planning Officers.  There are a lot of Anglo Saxon finds at Quarrendon. This needs to be carefully monitored.

 

If applications come in tranches, there is the opportunity for developers to put in planning applications as there is currently no Local Plan in place.  If an s106 objection is put in and lost, this could be a viable cost. The Officer explained that from an archaeological point of view, this is the opportunity for developers but there is planning guidance in place.  The National Policy Planning Framework guides planning issues. This includes the possibility of deferring a planning application to allow further information to be ascertained.

 

There is concern about the ability to cope with the number of potential planning applications. The Officer said that resources will always be an issue.  If a significant number of applications come through in May, top slicing may have to be looked at.

 

Does the County Council get any pre-application fee for giving good advice at the early stages of planning permission? The Officer said that it is his understanding is that a fee is not received.  Planning Officers give recommendations as early as possible.  Early consultation can save a lot of duplication and money.

 

Part of the planning process includes discussions with Highways about early intervention with developments i.e. site layout and entry etc.  From a transport perspective, we as a county seem to get involved quite late in the process. The Officer advised in Cornwall there are early meetings before land planning. This includes representation from archaeological advice, ecologists etc. This could be built into the process in Bucks. The issue of early intervention at developments, site layouts and entry etc will be discussed with the Director of Growth and Strategy, PAC service.

Action: Chairman

 

The Archaeological Planning officer is part time but covers all Districts in Buckinghamshire.  This is an enormous responsibility.  The County is asking a huge amount from Officers.  It is a question of monitoring what is taking place with available resources.  Aston Clinton is an example of an enterprising approach whereby the Planning Officer requested an evaluation of the site.  This is a new Roman road which was previously not known about.  It is a really important find both locally and nationally as it could be a strategic road from Dorchester.

 

Some aggressive planning applications are being made with very tight timelines. The officer said that in terms of planning applications, the Local Authority has to try to be pragmatic but archaeology has to be protected where possible.  It was raised that, ‘there are large vehicles accessing the site in Aston Clinton and the application is still pending as there is a lot of local opposition’.  This site has been granted planning consent and the archaeologists have finished one site.

 

Publication update

The Oxford Archaeology East and Network Archaeology jointly published their excavations on the Hardwick to Marsh Gibbon gas pipeline in Volume 54 of Records of Buckinghamshire.

 

The Historic Towns Project

The summary publication had a ‘soft launch’ in May with a press release which promoted a number of articles in local newspapers.

 

The following comments were made.

 

·         The Chairman reported that this project has received very good feedback.

·         The project was executed without post excavation.  There was some random destruction.  It is quite a job for archaeology to carry on monitoring the reports which are well overdue.  In many cases, properties are already built.

·         Concern was expressed about discharge of planning conditions prior to occupation and commencement. If planning conditions are not discharged, the property should not be occupied. It was asked if planning conditions were worded properly. The officer explained that there are a number of stages included within planning conditions covered by ‘written schemes of investigation’, which are agreed with the Planning Case Officer.  These stages include investigation, analysis, reporting and archiving.

 

Julia Wise added that the difficulty is there is sometimes a lack of awareness of the issue of fulfilling archaeological conditions within Planning Departments which results in things being missed.  In terms of Bierton and Buckingham, the conditions are rigorous.  A Planning Officer can usually advise against planning conditions being discharged early if work is still required.  As a service, there needs to be more interaction in case work and with the enforcement teams where necessary.

 

Does a meeting need to be called with Case Officers for this to be raised as an issue? The officer advised that this issue has been discussed with Planning/Case Officers. We are in the early stages of putting together a road-show for local Planning Authorities to increase awareness for Planning/Case Officers.

 

During discussion of the major archaeological excavations projects at the post excavation stage concern was expressed about 80 Aylesbury Road, Bierton (enforcement action initiated in March 2007) and Bridge Street, Buckingham (the non-receipt of the post-excavation assessment which commenced in September 2010).  A letter is to be sent to Sue Polhill, Aylesbury Vale District Councillor (copied to Forum Members)

Action: Corry Cashman

 

Tingewick Triangle update

The landowner has employed CgMS as their archaeological consultant. Their director Rob Bourne first contacted us in July and supplied a geophysical survey report undertaken by Northamptonshire Archaeology in 2011.  We recommended that the site be trial trenched to assess the geophysics results and gain an understanding of the significance of the expected archaeology.

 

CgMS employed Foundations Archaeology to undertake the trial trenching and they supplied a written scheme of investigation, which we approved.

 

We do not appear to have been informed of the start date for these works as Rob was on holiday when the landowner said that that works could take place.  Foundations began work assuming Rob had informed us.

 

Local people became aware of the works and contacted us.  Eliza made a site visit on the 10 September.

 

I made a site visit with Rob and the Managing Director of Foundations Archaeology on the 17 September.  We checked every trench, the works current undertaken and the propose works.  Foundations will be getting more people on site to undertake this.  I recommended a couple of extra trenches to better assess the possible earth works in the east field.

 

A probable Romano-British wall has been uncovered dates by associated pottery.  This wall may continue at right angles as traces have been found in another trial trench.  A probable Iron Age enclosure has been recorded in the west field.  Most of the trenches contained variable geological features.

 

This work will continue and further monitoring visits will be made.  A full report of the investigations will be made available as soon as possible following the field work.  This report will help enable us to make appropriate recommendations to the local planning authority when the application is made.

 

During discussion, the following comments were made.

 

A member said there is a local issue in Buckingham concerning St Rumbold’s Well and the field in which it is located.  A number of properties have been developed on the area adjacent to the field. Work took place on the field a while ago. The site has a superb presentation of ridge and furrow as well as a scheduled ancient monument.  It seems a prime site for medieval potential. Evaluation trenches have now been dug in the field. It is about the whole of the field, the well and the land slip. If there is a Roman spring, you could get more than you bargained for by trial trenching. The officer said there is a lot of local interest in this site.  There are no current planning applications for this site although we understand that one is imminent for residential dwellings. If/when a planning application is received and is in the public domain, planning recommendations will be made when the report is received. The exclusion of certain areas of the site could be recommended or at the very least, a full excavation.  Planning Officers provide advice and guidance to the Local Authority when and as required.

 

The Neighbourhood Plan for Buckingham is being put together.  This area will be a serious consideration for the Plan to take into account.

 

Is it worth contacting the clerk at Buckingham Town Council about the pre-consulting stage?  The officer advised that the clerk has already been contacted.

 

Historic Environment Record (HER) report

Julia Wise referred Members of the Forum to the information shown on page 15 of the agenda pack.

 

Richard Pushman reported that a large amount of spoil was dumped at the Quarrendon site which included brick and rubble for a newt habitat.  A letter was sent to the Chairman of English Heritage which resulted in prosecution.