Application for Full Planning & Conservation Area Consent
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Application for Full Planning & Conservation Area Consent On Behalf of 3&10 Finsbury Square Ltd February 2011 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Statement prepared by Tibbalds Planning & Urban Design With: 3 & 10 Finsbury Square Ltd Applicant Sheppard Robson Architect Waterman Group Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Consultant, Energy and Environmental, BREEAM, Traffic Expedition Structural Engineers Gardiner & Theobald Cost consultants Peter Stewart Consultancy Historic Environment & Conservation Consultant Arborsphere Ltd Trees Museum of London Archaeology Thomson Ecology Ecology Jennifer Ross, Director Tibbalds Planning & Urban Design 19 Maltings Place 169 Tower Bridge Road London SE1 3JB Telephone 020 7089 2121 Facsimile 020 7089 2120 [email protected] www.tibbalds.co.uk Addendum – February 2011 An archaeological desk-based assessment was prepared for the previous application in March 2010 (P100555 & P100680) and remains valid for this submission. It is attached to this report. The only text alteration is to the introduction section, which now reads: 1.1.1 Pembroke Real Estate on behalf of 3 & 10 Finsbury Square Limited has commissioned Museum of London Archaeology (MOL Archaeology) to carry out an archaeological desk-based assessment in advance of proposed development at 3 & 10 Finsbury Square, Islington (National Grid Reference 532788 181988: Fig 1). The development proposal comprises the construction of a nine-storey building on the site. The building footprint will cover the entire site area, and will include a lowerground floor and basement plant room, which will extend to c 9.7m below ground level. Figure 11 of the original report has also been updated in light of the design revisions and is replaced application drawing no. OP3_3611- 20_230 produced by Sheppard Robson Architects. Application for Full Planning & Conservation Area Consent On Behalf of 3&10 Finsbury Square Ltd March 2010 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Statement prepared by Tibbalds Planning & Urban Design With: 3 & 10 Finsbury Square Ltd Applicant Sheppard Robson Architect Waterman Group Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Consultant, Energy and Environmental, BREEAM, Traffic Expedition Structural Engineers Gardiner & Theobald Cost consultants Peter Stewart Consultancy Historic Environment & Conservation Consultant Arborsphere Ltd Trees Museum of London Archaeology Thomson Ecology Ecology Jennifer Ross, Director Tibbalds Planning & Urban Design 19 Maltings Place 169 Tower Bridge Road London SE1 3JB Telephone 020 7089 2121 Facsimile 020 7089 2120 [email protected] www.tibbalds.co.uk 3–10 FINSBURY SQUARE London EC2 London Borough of Islington Archaeological desk-based assessment January 2009 3–10 FINSBURY SQUARE London EC2 London Borough of Islington Archaeological desk-based assessment National Grid Reference: 532788 181988 Project Manager Derek Seeley Reviewed by Jon Chandler Author Louise Davies Graphics Kenneth Lymer Judit Peresztegi Museum of London Archaeology © Museum of London 2009 Mortimer Wheeler House, 46 Eagle Wharf Road, London N1 7ED tel 020 7410 2200 fax 020 7410 2201 [email protected] www.musemoflondonarchaeology.org.uk Archaeological desk-based assessment © MOL Archaeology 2008 Contents Executive Summary 1 1 Introduction 2 1.1 Origin and scope of the report 2 1.2 Site status 2 1.3 Aims and objectives 2 2 Methodology and sources consulted 3 3 Planning framework 4 3.1 National planning policy guidance 4 3.2 Regional guidance: The London Plan 4 3.3 Local Planning Policy 4 4 Archaeological and historical background 7 4.1 Site location, topography and geology 7 4.2 Overview of past archaeological investigations 7 4.3 Chronological summary 8 5 Archaeological potential 14 5.1 Factors affecting archaeological survival 14 5.2 Archaeological potential 15 6 Impact of proposals 16 6.1 Proposals 16 6.2 Implications 16 7 Conclusion 17 8 Recommendations 18 9 Gazetteer of known archaeological sites and finds 19 10 Glossary 22 11 Bibliography 24 11.1 Published and documentary sources 24 11.2 Other Sources 25 11.3 Cartographic sources 25 i P:\ISLI\1140\na\Field\Finsbury Square DBA 20-01-09.doc Archaeological desk-based assessment © MOL Archaeology 2008 Figures Cover: Ogilby and Morgan’s map of 1672 Fig 1 Site location Fig 2 Archaeological features map Fig 3 Agas’ ‘copperplate’ map of 1553–9 Fig 4 Faithorne and Newcourt’s map of 1658 Fig 5 Ogilby and Morgan’s map of 1672 Fig 6 Rocques’ map of 1746 Fig 7 Horwood’s map of 1799 Fig 8 Ordnance Survey 1st edition 25”:mile map of 1873 Fig 9 Ordnance Survey 1:1250 scale map of 1953 Fig 10 North-facing section through deposits and features in trench 4 of evaluation at 1–2 Finsbury Square (DBA20) immediately to the south of the site. Fig 11 Option 1 AA Section drawing. 02-09-08, Drawing No. 3611–20–230–opt 1. Sheppard Robson Architects. Note: site outlines may appear differently on some figures owing to distortions in historic maps. North is approximate on early maps. ii P:\ISLI\1140\na\Field\Finsbury Square DBA 20-01-09.doc Archaeological desk-based assessment © MOL Archaeology 2008 Executive Summary Pembroke Real Estate on behalf of 3 & 10 Finsbury Square Limited has commissioned Museum of London Archaeology to carry out an archaeological desk-based assessment in advance of proposed development at 3–10 Finsbury Square, in Islington, London. The development proposal comprises the construction of a ten-storey building on the site. The building footprint will cover the entire site area, and will include a lower-ground floor and basement plant room, which will extend to c 9.7m below ground level. The site lies within an Archaeological Priority Area as defined by Islington Borough Council which covers the area of Moorfields and its potential for preserved waterlogged remains, medieval quarrying, and post-medieval dumping. The site also lies within a Local Authority Conservation Area (CA 22: Bunhill Fields and Finsbury Square). The site has a high potential to contain archaeological remains dated to the early post- medieval period. Until the late 17th century the site was probably largely located within the footprint of the main north-south road from the city. A large ditch of early post-medieval (possibly later medieval date) date, uncovered during investigations at 1-2 Finsbury Square to the immediate south, almost certainly continues into the area of proposed development. The site has a moderate potential to contain archaeological remains of prehistoric and later medieval date, a low potential to contain archaeological remains of Roman date, and low potential for archaeology of early medieval date. Demolition works, including breaking out the existing slab, and pile probing, would have a significant impact on any below ground archaeological remains. Excavation of the basement of the proposed building would entirely remove any archaeological remains present. The insertion of piled foundations would remove any archaeological remains within each pile footprint, but would only have an impact if carried out prior to basement excavation. In light of the potential for archaeological remains on the site, as outlined above, it would appear likely that the local authority would request further investigation of the possible archaeological potential of the site prior to any future development on the site, in order to clarify the likely impacts of the development. This could reasonably be carried out as a condition attached to a planning consent. This is likely to entail an archaeological trial trenching evaluation, combined with the archaeological monitoring for geotechnical test pits. 1 P:\ISLI\1140\na\Field\Finsbury Square DBA 20-01-09.doc Archaeological desk-based assessment © MOL Archaeology 2008 1 Introduction 1.1 Origin and scope of the report 1.1.1 Pembroke Real Estate on behalf of 3 & 10 Finsbury Square Limited has commissioned Museum of London Archaeology (MOL Archaeology) to carry out an archaeological desk-based assessment in advance of proposed development at 3– 10 Finsbury Square, Islington (National Grid Reference 532788 181988: Fig 1). The development proposal comprises the construction of a ten-storey building on the site. The building footprint will cover the entire site area, and will include a lower- ground floor and basement plant room, which will extend to c 9.7m below ground level. 1.1.2 This desk-based assessment forms an initial stage of archaeological investigation of the site (hereafter also referred to as the ‘site’) and may be required at a future date in relation to the planning process in order that the local authority can formulate appropriate responses in the light of any identified archaeological resource. This report deals solely with the archaeological implications of the development proposals and does not cover possible built heritage issues (eg setting), except where buried parts of historic fabric are likely to be affected. 1.1.3 The assessment has been carried out in accordance with the standards specified by the Institute for Archaeologists (IFA 2001), English Heritage (EH 1998, 1999), and the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers. Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 MOL Archaeology retains the copyright to this document. 1.1.4 Note: within the limitations imposed by dealing with historical material and maps, the information in this document is, to the best knowledge of the author and MOL Archaeology, correct at the time of writing. Further archaeological investigation, more information about the nature of the present buildings, and/or more detailed proposals for redevelopment may require changes to all or parts of the document. 1.2 Site status 1.2.1 The site does not contain any nationally designated (protected) sites, such as Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings or Registered Parks and Gardens. The site lies in an Archaeological Priority Area as defined by Islington Borough Council, which covers the area of Moorfields and its potential for preserved waterlogged remains, medieval quarrying, and post-medieval dumping. It lies also within Bunhill Fields/Finsbury Square Conservation Area, as defined by Islington Borough Council.