Archaeology

Today's landscape is the product of human activity over thousands of years, ranging from the camps of the early hunter gatherers 400,000 years ago to remains of early 20th century activities. It includes the remains of places of worship, defence installations, burial grounds, farms and fields, and sites of manufacture.

Archaeological remains are a finite and non-renewable resource, often fragile and vulnerable to damage and destruction. They can contain irreplaceable information about our past and are valuable both for their own sake and for their role in education, leisure and tourism. Appropriate management is therefore essential to ensure that they survive in good condition.

Archaeological remains vary enormously in their state of preservation and in the extent of their appeal to the public. Most people are familiar with the great stone circles, castle and abbey ruins or coastal defence systems, but less obvious archaeological remains such as ancient settlements and field systems also exist across the country. Many buildings in older towns lie on top of Roman, Anglo-Saxon or medieval structures and historic buildings represent the tip of the archaeological record.

During the last century much archaeological heritage has been destroyed by human activity - for example, by modern construction methods in urban development and expansion of roads, by modern agricultural techniques and by mineral extraction.

Archaeology and planning issues

Archaeological aspects of a development site need to be considered early on in the planning and development control process to ensure appropriate treatment of the site.

Where nationally important archaeological remains are affected by proposed development there should be a presumption in favour of their physical preservation.

Cases involving archaeological remains of lesser importance are not always be so clear cut and planning authorities need to weigh the relative importance of archaeology against other factors, including the need for any proposed development.

When important remains are known or believed to exist, developers can help by preparing sympathetic designs. An example of this would be using foundations which avoid disturbing the remains altogether. There are also techniques available for sealing archaeological remains underneath buildings or landscaping, thus securing their preservation for the future.

If physical preservation in situ is not feasible, an archaeological excavation for the purposes of 'preservation by record' may be an acceptable alternative. However, the preservationof archaeological remains in situ is preferable as more historical information is retained in this way.