Historic Environment Desk-Based Assessment (Heritage & Archaeology), Geophysical Survey, WSI & Archaeological Mitigation Strategy

Client: SEE Renewables

Description:  The Proposed development is for a 50MW capacity solar farm to be constructed on agricultural land, west of the village of Foston, Lincolnshire

HCUK Group involvement:  Historic Environment desk-based assessment (including Heritage and Archaeology); geophysical survey; Written Scheme of Investigation; trial trenching; archaeological mitigation strategy.

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Summary

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Initial work on the project involved the preparation of a Historic Environment Desk-Based Assessment, involving both our Archaeology and Heritage teams.  The assessment considered that there was a potential for archaeological remains of prehistoric and Roman date to be present, as well as agricultural activity of the medieval and post medieval periods. 

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Planning permission was granted for the scheme with conditions attached to ensure further archaeological investigation was undertaken to firstly evaluate the Site and secondly to mitigate any archaeological remains that might be present, through the preparation of a written scheme of investigation for archaeological works and its successful implementation.

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HCUK implemented an initial archaeological geophysical survey across the Site to learn more about the potential for buried archaeological remains to be present.  The survey revealed an area of dense archaeology in one part of the Site.  A written scheme of investigation for trial trenching was then prepared detailing a programme of archaeological evaluation which was agreed and implemented.

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The results of the trial trenching confirmed the presence of an enclosure of likely Iron Age through to Roman date.  A subsequent archaeological mitigation strategy has been prepared by HCUK in consultation with the client to ensure any necessary further works are implemented, and the area of the Iron Age/Roman enclosure has been avoided by a redesign of the proposals.​