Evaluation

Desk Based Assessments

Desk-based assessment is often a vital first phase in a staged programme of archaeological investigation. This comprises documentary and map research which is also used to aid future fieldwork strategies. The archaeological potential of a site is assessed together with recommendations to help minimize the impact of development on any archaeological remains .

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)

Larger scale developments including mineral extraction, wind farms, housing, may require an EIA and the resulting Environmental Statement (ES) forms part of the planning application. The cultural heritage chapters of an EIA deal with direct impacts from a proposed development on below-ground remains and also the setting of cultural heritage features such as Listed Buildings, Scheduled Ancient Monuments and the historic landscape, particularly in designated areas such as National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

An EIA will typically include not only a desk-based assessment but an element of fieldwork such as geophysical survey and trial excavation in order to provide sufficient data for a full mitigation strategy to be prepared.

You can be assured of impartial authoritative advice at all times from NFAC.

Evaluation

Once your application has been made a local authority may require an archaeological evaluation before planning permission for your project can be granted. This might involve geophysical survey, field survey and/or trial trenching. Evaluations will establish whether any archaeological deposits are present, and identify their character, extent and state of preservation.

Mitigation

Once an evaluation is complete the information will be used to identify options for the mitigation of the impact of development on the buried and built heritage resource. For example, these might include specific proposals for preservation of certain remains in situ and/or sympathetic design of foundations to minimise the impact of development, or proposals for further investigation and recording.

Planning Conditions

Archaeological conditions attached to planning decisions may require watching briefs, strip, map and recording, or larger-scale excavations, and standing building surveys.

Observation and Recording also known as a Watching Brief

Watching briefs, now also referred to as programmes of archaeological observation and recording, are usually requested by local authorities when previous investigations (such as desk-based assessments or evaluations) have revealed little or nothing of archaeological significance. A watching brief condition might be imposed as a sole requirement, or in response to the findings of a prior evaluation.

Normally all excavations on the site will be monitored and recorded by an archaeologist and will not delay progress of the development. This may entail as little as a single site visit to observe the digging of the foundation trenches for a house. Sometimes it could involve a long-term monitoring of topsoil stripping along a road corridor or pipelines.

If you are concerned about how a watching brief condition on your planning permission might affect your development give us a call.