Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment: Proposed

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Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment: Proposed ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT: PROPOSED CREMATORIUM EXTENSION, NEWTON ROAD, WEST BROMWICH, WEST MIDLANDS NGR: SP 0248 9328 AAL Site Code: WBNR 17 Report prepared for Sandwell Borough Council By Allen Archaeology Limited Report Number AAL2017068 April 2017 Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 2 2.0 Site Location and Description ..................................................................................................... 2 3.0 Planning Background .................................................................................................................. 2 National Planning Policy ..................................................................................................................... 2 Local Planning Policy ........................................................................................................................... 3 4.0 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 4 5.0 Archaeological and Historical Background ................................................................................. 5 6.0 Site Visit....................................................................................................................................... 6 7.0 Constraints ................................................................................................................................ 10 8.0 Discussion and Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 10 9.0 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... 11 10.0 References ................................................................................................................................ 11 Cartographic Sources ........................................................................................................................ 12 List of Plates Plate 1: The northwest field, looking northeast ..................................................................................... 7 Plate 2: The southeast field, looking south ............................................................................................. 7 Plate 3: Main access via Newton Road, looking southwest .................................................................... 8 Plate 4: Access to the southeast field, looking southeast ...................................................................... 8 Plate 5: View of the A4041, Newton Road, looking northwest .............................................................. 9 Plate 6: View of the agricultural land bordering the site, facing northeast ........................................... 9 Plate 7: View of the Sandwell Valley Crematorium, facing south ........................................................ 10 List of Appendices Appendix 1: List of SHER Entries within a 1km search area .................................................................. 13 Appendix 2: Figures ............................................................................................................................... 15 List of Figures Figure 1: Site Location outlined in red .................................................................................................. 15 Figure 2: Location of site in red with position and direction of site visit photographs ........................ 16 Figure 3: Location of Sandwell HER entries within a 1km search radius with site in red ..................... 17 Figure 4: Extract of 1837 Ordnance Survey map with site in red ......................................................... 18 Figure 5: Extract of 1888 Ordnance Survey map with site in red ......................................................... 19 Figure 6: Extract of 1904 Ordnance Survey map with site in red ......................................................... 20 Figure 7: Extract of 1916 Ordnance Survey map with site in red ......................................................... 21 Figure 8: Extract of 1937 Ordnance Survey map with site in red ......................................................... 22 Figure 9: Extract of 1959–60 Ordnance Survey map with site in red ................................................... 23 Document Control Element: Name: Date: Report prepared by: Jesse Johnson MSc BSc (Hons) and Harvey Tesseyman 23/03/ 2017 BA (Hons) Illustrations prepared by: Harvey Tesseyman BA (Hons) 23/03/2017 Report edited by: Chris Clay BA MA (Hons) 27/04/2017 Report reviewe d by: Natasha Powers BSc MSc MCIfA MCMI 28/04/2017 Version no: 1.0 28/03/2017 Allen Archaeology reports are printed double sided on 100% recycled paper to reduce our carbon footprint. Cover image: View of the northwest field, looking northeast Executive Summary • Allen Archaeology was commissioned by Sandwell Borough Council to undertake an archaeological desk-based assessment in order to assess the archaeological potential of land at Sandwell Valley Crematorium, Newton Road, West Bromwich for a proposed extension to the existing facilities. • Data was gathered from a range of primary and secondary sources, including a search of the Sandwell Historic Environment Record, Sandwell Community Archives Centre, the HER database, and other published and online sources. • Prehistoric activity is represented within the search area by two burnt mounds and two flint scatters, located at some distance from the site. Archaeological potential for the prehistoric period is therefore considered to be negligible. • Roman evidence is very limited within the area, suggesting a negligible archaeological potential for this period. • Early-medieval archaeological evidence is not present in the search area, and place-name data only suggests settlement in the primary town of West Bromwich, indicating a negligible archaeological potential for this period. • Medieval activity is represented largely by agricultural features in the wider area, suggesting a negligible archaeological potential for this period also. • The post-medieval period saw the increasing development of farmsteads, settlement activity and industry in the study area, but the site appears to have remained as agricultural land until the present day. • Overall, there is a negligible archaeological potential for the proposed development area, which appears to have been woodland, pasture or arable land until the present day. 1 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Allen Archaeology Limited was commissioned by Sandwell Borough Council to prepare a desk- based assessment to evaluate the archaeological potential of land at Sandwell Valley Crematorium, Newton Road, West Bromwich in advance of the submission of a planning application for an extension to the existing crematorium. 1.2 The document has been completed with reference to current national guidelines, as set out in in the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists ‘ Standard and guidance for historic environment desk- based assessment ’ (CIfA 2014), and the Historic England documents ‘Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning ’ and ‘ Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment ’ (Historic England 2015a and 2015b). 2.0 Site Location and Description 2.1 The proposed development site is located in Sandwell, West Bromwich, in the administrative district of Sandwell Borough Council. It is situated c. 2.5km northeast of West Bromwich, and c. 8km northwest of central Birmingham. The site is approximately 6.2ha and presently occupied by open agricultural fields to the north of the existing crematorium. The site is centred at SP 0248 9328 and is c.113m above Ordnance Datum (Figure 1). 2.2 The bedrock geology comprises Alveley Member Mudstone formed by the rivers which dominated the local environment, and a superficial deposit of glaciofluvial sand and gravel formed up to 2 million years ago during the Ice Age (http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/ home.html). 3.0 Planning Background 3.1 This desk-based assessment has been prepared to inform a planning application that will be submitted in due course for the extension of the Sandwell Valley Crematorium. This is the first stage of archaeological investigation, intended to provide detailed information that will allow the planning authority to make an informed decision as to whether further archaeological investigations will be required prior to or following the determination of a planning application for the proposed development. National Planning Policy 3.2 The relevant sections of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) concerning archaeological and cultural heritage assets, are Paragraphs 58 and 61 of ‘Section 7. Requiring good design’, and Paragraphs 126–141 of ‘Section 12. Conserving and enhancing the natural environment’. Paragraph 128 has special relevance concerning the responsibilities of planning applicant (Department for Communities and Local Government 2012): ‘In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including contribution made by their setting. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand
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