Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth

ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT LAND AT RUSH LANE DOSTHILL TAMWORTH STAFFORDSHIRE/ WARWICKSHIRE BORDERS FEBRUARY 2017 Planning G Heritage Specialist & Independent Advisors to the Property Industry Planning Authority: Tamworth Borough Council North Warwickshire Borough Council Site centred at: SP 21647 99523 Author: Lorraine Mayo BA MA MCIfA Approved by: Matthew Smith BA MA MCIfA Report Status: Final Issue Date: February 2017 CgMs Ref: LM/23012 © CgMs Limited No part of this report is to be copied in any way without prior written consent. Every effort is made to provide detailed and accurate information, however, CgMs Limited cannot be held responsible for errors or inaccuracies within this report. © Ordnance Survey maps reproduced with the sanction of the controller of HM Stationery Office. Licence No: AL 100014723 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth CONTENTS Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction and Scope of Study 2.0 Planning Background and Development Plan Framework 3.0 Geology and Topography 4.0 Archaeological and Historical Background, including Assessment of Significance 5.0 Site Conditions, the Proposed Development, and Impact on Archaeological Assets 6.0 Summary and Conclusions Sources Consulted APPENDIX 1: HER Distribution map (Staffordshire and Warwickshire HERs) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location Fig. 2 1787-9 Sharp Map of Warwickshire Fig. 3 1839 Dosthill District Kingsbury Parish Tithe Map Fig. 4 1883 Ordnance Survey Fig. 5 1923 Ordnance Survey Fig. 6 1965 Ordnance Survey Fig. 7 1976-77 Ordnance Survey Fig. 8 2017 Ordnance Survey PLATES Plate 1 Google Earth image 2017 Plate 2 LIDAR Image 2017 CgMs Ltd © 1/17 LM/23012 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth, Staffordshire/Warwickshire borders is proposed for development. There are no designated or non-designated archaeological assets on or adjacent to the site. The site is considered to have a low archaeological potential for evidence of all past periods, in particular due to 19th and 20th century Coal and Clay extraction, the construction of Works buildings, and levelling of the site in the late 20th century. In these circumstances, it is considered that the proposed development will not to have any archaeological impact. CgMs Ltd © 2/17 LM/23012 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF STUDY 1.1 This archaeological desk-based assessment has been prepared by Lorraine Mayo of CgMs Consulting, on behalf of Summix BLT Developments Ltd. 1.2 The subject of this assessment is land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth, Staffordshire/Warwickshire borders (Fig. 1). The site is centred at SP 21647 99523 and is approximately 8 hectares in extent. The site is bounded to the north by houses fronting onto Ascot Drive, the Birmingham to Derby railway to the east, Rush Lane and a depot to the south, and High Street to the west (Fig. 1). The majority of the study site lies within Warwickshire and a narrow strip extending northwards along the line of the railway lies within Staffordshire. 1.3 In accordance with government planning policy (NPPF), this desk-based assessment has been undertaken to establish the presence/absence of designated and non-designated assets, to establish the significance of any assets on the site, to consider the archaeological potential of the site and to assess any impacts from the proposed development on the significance of heritage assets. 1.4 Because the study site lies across the boundaries of Warwickshire and Staffordshire, this desk-based assessment comprises an examination of evidence in both the Warwickshire and Staffordshire Historic Environment Records (HER), the National Archives, the National Heritage List, and various online sources. 1.5 Data gathering to inform this desk-based assessment has established that no Scheduled Monuments, Conservation Areas, Registered Battlefields or other designated archaeological assets lie on or immediately adjacent to the study site. The Dosthill Conservation Area lies c. 300m north of the study site. 1.6 The study therefore provides an assessment of the archaeological assets and potential assets on the site and enables relevant parties to assess the impacts on any heritage/archaeological assets, and to consider the need for design, engineering or other archaeological mitigation measures. CgMs Ltd © 3/17 LM/23012 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth 2.0 PLANNING BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK 2.1 In March 2012, the government published the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). More recently (March 2014), government published Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) online. 2.2 Section 12 of the NPPF, entitled Conserving and enhancing the historic environment provides guidance for planning authorities, property owners, developers and others on the conservation and investigation of heritage assets. Overall, the objectives of Section 12 of the NPPF can be summarised as seeking the: Delivery of sustainable development Understanding the wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits brought by the conservation of the historic environment Conservation of England's heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, and Recognition of the contribution that heritage assets make to our understanding of the past. 2.2.1 Section 12 of the NPPF recognises that intelligently managed change may sometimes be necessary if heritage assets are to be maintained for the long term. Paragraph 128 states that planning decisions should be based on the significance of the heritage asset, and that level of detail supplied by an applicant should be proportionate to the importance of the asset and should be no more than sufficient to review the potential impact of the proposal upon the significance of that asset. 2.2.2 Heritage Assets are defined in Annex 2 of the NPPF as: a building, monument, site, place, area or landscape positively identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions. They include designated heritage assets (as defined in the NPPF) and assets identified by the local planning authority during the process of decision-making or through the plan- making process. 2.2.3 Annex 2 also defines Archaeological Interest as a heritage asset which holds or potentially could hold, evidence of past human activity worthy of expert investigation at some point. Heritage assets with archaeological interest are the CgMs Ltd © 4/17 LM/23012 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth primary source of evidence about the substance and evolution of places, and of the people and cultures that made them. 2.2.4 A Designated Heritage Asset comprises a: World Heritage Site, Scheduled Monument, Listed Building, Protected Wreck Site, Registered Park and Garden, Registered Battlefield or Conservation Area. 2.2.5 Significance is defined as: The value of a heritage asset to this and future generations because of its heritage interest. This interest may be archaeological, architectural, artistic or historic. Significance derives not only from a heritage asset’s physical presence, but also from its setting. 2.2.6 In short, government policy provides a framework which: Protects nationally important designated Heritage Assets (which include World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Listed Buildings, Protected Wreck Sites, Registered Parks and Gardens, Registered Battlefields or Conservation Areas) Protects the settings of such designations In appropriate circumstances seeks adequate information (from desk based assessment and field evaluation where necessary) to enable informed decisions Provides for the excavation and investigation of sites not significant enough to merit in-situ preservation. 2.3 In considering any planning application for development, the planning authority will be mindful of the framework set by government policy, in this instance the NPPF, current Development Plan Policy, and by other material considerations. 2.4 The Local Plan framework for the north of the site within Staffordshire is provided by the Tamworth Borough Council Local Plan 2006-2031 (adopted February 2016). The Plan contains the following policy relating to archaeology: EN6 PROTECTING THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT Development that affects designated heritage assets including conservation areas, listed buildings, scheduled monuments and non- designated heritage assets including locally listed buildings and undesignated archaeology, will be required to assess the impact of the development on the asset through a heritage statement and statement of CgMs Ltd © 5/17 LM/23012 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Land at Rush Lane, Dosthill, Tamworth significance and clearly demonstrate how the significance, including its setting, will be protected, conserved and, where possible, enhanced. Where sites are located in a conservation area or an area of high archaeological potential, particularly the historic town centre core, the Council’s Conservation Officer and Staffordshire County Council Environment Team (Historic Environment) should be consulted at an early stage. Proposals will be required to pay particular attention to: a) the scale, form, height, massing, detailing and materials of the development, the existing buildings and physical context to which it relates. b) historically significant boundaries, street layouts,

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