(This page is intentionally left blank) AWE Aldermaston, Burghfield and Blacknest Historic Characterisation and Management Strategy CONTENTS 1. Introduction 3 2. Methodology 7 3. Topographic, Archaeological & Historic Background 11 4. The Heritage Significance of AWE Aldermaston, Burghfield and Blacknest 21 5. The Character Areas 27 6. Management Strategy 91 7. References 99 8. Figures: 1. Areas of Heritage Value Aldermaston Burghfield Blacknest 2. Aldermaston Character Areas Phase Plan Areas of Archaeological Potential 3. Burghfield Character Areas Phase Plan Areas of Archaeological Potential 4. Blacknest Character Areas Phase Plan Areas of Archaeological Potential page AWE Aldermaston, Burghfield and Blacknest Historic Characterisation and Management Strategy 1. INTRODUCTION This document This document provides a Historic Characterisation prohibiting it. The emphasis of Characterisation is on and Management Strategy for AWE Aldermaston, providing context – an understanding of the historic Burghfield and Blacknest. It has been prepared by continuity into which current and future development Atkins for AWE, and it sits alongside a GIS based should fit, if the distinctive quality of a place is to be collection of data that can be used to manage the maintained and enhanced. heritage resource of the sites. The document is a first for AWE, in that it draws together an evaluation of Characterisation as a way of managing change in the significance and proposals for management of the historic landscape was pioneered in Cornwall in 994, entire heritage of its sites - from the prehistoric period and has now developed into a major County level to the Cold War. The data within the AWE site GIS programme which covers more than half of England. comprises: Characterisation for Bletchley Park, the historic dockyards • A layer that zones areas of the site according at Devonport and Portsmouth, and RAF Scampton to their capacity for change (high, medium and are among the first examples of the application of low/no value). Characterisation to military and industrial complexes. • Plans showing Areas of Archaeological Potential, A county-wide characterisation for West Berkshire is and phases of site development through time. almost complete, and work at AWE will need to be revisited to ensure the two are compatible. • Guidance for conservation and management contained within a linked database. Characterisation usually consists of the two broad • Links to pre-selected data sets, maps and phases carried out for this current project: Assessment photographs. and Strategy. Assessment is descriptive, and aids understanding. It is map based, and divides a site or A layer that zones areas of the site according to landscape into character types or areas, identifying their capacity for change (high, medium and low/no issues which contribute to the distinctive character of value). each as well as opportunities for future management. The Strategy proposes firm recommendations for the This report sets out the project methodology, and conservation and management of the site, to feed into includes descriptions of the sites, the key significances spatial planning, often informing development plans, of each, and provides a structure for future management agreements and planning policy. management of AWE’s heritage. Why AWE needs a heritage strategy The principles of characterisation and character At the AWE sites, the heritage resource includes based management strategies for historic sites archaeological features such as the possible line of ‘Characterisation’ is a means of understanding both the a Roman road, Grim’s Bank, early park boundaries historic and recent development of a place which have and avenues, the layout and buildings relating to contributed to its current distinctive character. It can the airfield and Royal Ordnance Factory, and of be applied broadly at landscape level, but a finer grain course buildings associated with AWRE and AWE of study is possible for urban areas or sites which fall development. Some of the existing buildings on the between those categories, such as large industrial sites, sites are quite unique to the United Kingdom and small settlements, key military sites or coastal zones. The may be considered to be more important in heritage technique provides a comprehensive information base, as terms than the recognised archaeological features. a starting point from which proposals for spatial planning Cold War sites are generally considered one of the and development can be considered. Characterisation categories of defence heritage which have been least also provides the basis for assessing archaeological understood and potentially most threatened by the potential and other environmental constraints, but process of disposal and redevelopment. focuses primarily on enabling change, rather than page AWE Aldermaston, Burghfield and Blacknest Historic Characterisation and Management Strategy The Ministry of Defence (Defence Estates) is responsible may become lengthy, and delay projects. In addition for managing and maintaining historic buildings, the need for repetitive archaeological and heritage landscapes and archaeology within its ownership. studies to support individual planning applications The care of MOD historic assets in accordance with will be costly. An agreed baseline will save time and the Government’s heritage policy is defined by the money. The heritage strategy will also allow AWE ‘Protocol for the Care of the Government Historic to ensure that the environmental consequences of Estate’ published by the DCMS (200). The protocol projects are identified and assessed in line with the encourages the MOD to conserve and maintain EIA Directive (EU legislation 985, amended 997). its historic environment and comply with heritage legislation. The DE produce factsheets to guide the Future planned changes to heritage planning policy and MOD in terms of their heritage responsibilities as part legislation (DCMS 2004 ‘Heritage Protection Reform - of the ‘Design and Maintenance Guides’ and requires the way forward’) will also devolve more responsibility that heritage is dealt with as part of a broader Strategic to local authorities for heritage management, and Sustainability Appraisal. the use of ‘Management Agreements’ will be more widely applied. These agreements will form an agreed AWE is obliged to look after its statutorily protected baseline between land owners and authorities, within archaeology on behalf of the MOD and its company the parameters of which changes and developments policy on the Environment sets out that the ecology will be enabled. and heritage of AWE sites are to be actively managed. It is already investing in the conservation English Heritage interest in the AWE sites is growing, and interpretation of Grim’s Bank (a Scheduled independently of changes to the planning system. A Ancient Monument) and a number of archaeological number of recent English Heritage publications and evaluations and a research excavation have been research documents mention the AWE sites by name carried out at Aldermaston and Burghfield. However, and highlight the importance of specific buildings other important remains exist on the sites, including such as the Gravel Gerties at Burghfield, and R6 and the layout and structures of the 940s onwards. A. at Aldermaston (Cocroft & Thomas, 200). Some of these have already been recorded by English Heritage’s Monuments Protection Programme and, as A number of English Heritage surveys of the MOD such, are also the MOD’s responsibility to manage. estate have been carried out, including a ‘Survey of Military Aviation Sites’ (Lake 200) and ‘Cold War While there is currently no statutory obligation for the Monuments: an assessment by the Monuments MOD to comply with heritage or planning law, it is Protection Programme’ (English Heritage 200). anticipated that legislation to remove this immunity A number of other publications also deal with this will come into force in the summer of 2006. Thus resource, including ‘Modern Military matters: it will be necessary to adhere to the policies and studying and managing the twentieth-century defence proposals for development and land use set out in heritage in Britain’, a discussion document edited by West Berkshire’s District Local Plan 99-2006 and John Schofield (2004); ‘Cold War, Building for Nuclear relevant Supplementary Planning Documents, and to Confrontation 946-986’ by Wayne Cocroft and all new Local Development Framework documents Roger JC Thomas (200); ‘Monuments as they are adopted to replace that District Local of War: the evaluation, recording and management Plan. A heritage strategy will provide AWE with the of twentieth-century military sites’ (English Heritage framework for managing its heritage in this new 998); ‘Military Wall Art: Guidelines on its significance, planning context. The new planning laws will bring conservation and management’, (English Heritage local planning authorities and statutory bodies such 2004).The importance of our historic airfields is made as English Heritage (through PPGs 5 and 6 and clear in English Heritage’s ‘Historic Military Aviation future PPSs) into the decision making process on Sites Conservation management Guidance’ (200). site. If major heritage issues arise, before or during development work, then the process for obtaining To summarise, the benefits of having a strategy in permissions and discharging planning requirements place at AWE for dealing with heritage issues are: page 4 AWE Aldermaston,