Desk-Based Assessment Report
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T H A M E S V A L L E Y AARRCCHHAAEEOOLLOOGGIICCAALL S E R V I C E S Land south of Ash Lodge Drive, Ash and Tongham, Surrey Archaeological desk-based assessment by Steve Preston Site Code: ALS11/106 (SU 895 495) Land south of Ash Lodge Drive, Ash and Tongham, Surrey An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment For Bewley Homes plc by Steve Preston Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code ALS11/106 November 2011 Summary Site name: Land south of Ash Lodge Drive, Ash and Tongham, Surrey Grid reference: SU 895 495 Site activity: Desk-based assessment Project manager: Steve Ford Site supervisor: Steve Preston Site code: ALS11/106 Area of site: c. 22.3 ha Summary of results: It is considered that the change of use from agricultural land to Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace carries no potential impact on the archaeological resource or heritage assets in that area. The area proposed for residential development can be considered to have high archaeological potential, specifically for the presence of evidence for medieval pottery production; it may also have some potential for Roman remains. It also covers a large area, sufficient to raise the possibility of remains of any period being present simply by chance. It will be necessary to provide more information from field observations in order to inform the planning process and to draw up a scheme to mitigate the impact of development on any below-ground archaeological deposits if necessary. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. All TVAS unpublished fieldwork reports are available on our website: www.tvas.co.uk/reports/reports.asp. Report edited/checked by: Jo Pine9 15.11.11 Andy Taylor9 15.11.11 i Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 47–49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading RG1 5NR Tel. (0118) 926 0552; Fax (0118) 926 0553; email [email protected]; website : www.tvas.co.uk Land south of Ash Lodge Drive, Ash and Tongham, Surrey An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment by Steve Preston Report 11/106 Introduction This desk-based study is an assessment of the archaeological potential of three parcels of land totalling almost 20ha located south of Ash Lodge Drive in Ash, Surrey (Fig. 1). The project was commissioned by Mr Andrew Morris of Bewley Homes, Inhurst House, Brimpton Road, Baughurst, Hampshire RG26 5JJ and comprises the first stage of a process to determine the presence/absence, extent, character, quality and date of any archaeological remains which may be affected by redevelopment of the area. An outline application for planning permision is to be submitted for the development of the site to niclude up to 400 dwellings on 22.3ha of a much larger site, with the demolition of nos 52 and 54 South Lane. The outline application includes provisions for access routes, and open space of various kinds. Permission is also to be sought for change of use of an area of 24.8ha from agricultural land to Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace. This report is intended to accompany the applications in order to inform the planning process with regard to any potential impact on the known archaeological resource or heritage assets on the site. It is considered that the change of use from agricultural land to Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace carries no potential impact on the archaeological resource or heritage assets in that area and this report therefore deals only with the area for residential development. Site description, location and geology Ash is just south of Farnborough, near the Surrey/Hampshire county boundary and close to Aldershot. The site currently consists of three parcels of land comprising twelve fields on the edge of a mainly residential area, and bisected by a disused railway line and a path (Ash Green Lane). It encompasses land in both Ash (to the north) and Tongham (south) parishes. The only buildings on the site are three houses, with their gardens, in the north- east corner, and an electricity substation in the northernmost field. To the south-east the site is bounded by more fields. Ash Lodge Drive and properties along it form the northern boundary, to the west is a school and its grounds and to the east are properties on South Lane. The areas concerned in the proposed residenial development centre on NGR, SU 895 495. A site visit on 12th October 2011 revealed that all the fields are currently pasture or overgrown (Pls 1 and 2). The site’s internal field boundaries include hedgerows and 1 numerous mature trees. One small area in the south-west corner may be a former nursery, as it is overgrown with young saplings. A footpath across the site is accompanied by overhead power lines. The river Blackwater rises not far to the south-west and flows past northwards less than 1km to the west, forming the county boundary. A tributary of this flows along the north edge of the site. The site is located on London clay (BGS 1976), with just the possibility of a small pocket of second terrace gravel in the extreme north-west corner. It slopes from a height of approximately 70m above Ordnance Datum in the north-west to 90m AOD in the south-east. Planning background and development proposals Outline planning permission is to be sought for the development of the site. No details of the proposal are to hand at the time of writing. The Department for Communities and Local Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF 2012) sets out the framework within which local planning authorities should consider the importance of conserving, or enhancing, aspects of the historic environment, within the planning process. It requires an applicant for planning consent to provide, as part of any application, sufficient information to enable the local planning authority to assess the significance of any heritage assets that may be affected by the proposal. The Historic Environment is defined (NPPF 2012, 52) as: ‘All aspects of the environment resulting from the interaction between people and places through time, including all surviving physical remains of past human activity, whether visible, buried or submerged, and landscaped and planted or managed flora.’ Paragraphs 128 and 129 state that ‘128. In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. As a minimum the relevant historic environment record should have been consulted and the heritage assets assessed using appropriate expertise where necessary. Where a site on which development is proposed includes or has the potential to include heritage assets with archaeological interest, local planning authorities should require developers to submit an appropriate desk-based assessment and, where necessary, a field evaluation. ‘129. Local planning authorities should identify and assess the particular significance of any heritage asset that may be affected by a proposal (including by development affecting the setting of a heritage asset) taking account of the available evidence and any necessary expertise. They should take this assessment into account when considering the impact of a proposal on a heritage asset, to avoid or minimise conflict between the heritage asset’s conservation and any aspect of the proposal.’ A ‘heritage asset’ is defined (NPPF 2012, 52) as ‘A building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of its heritage interest. Heritage asset 2 includes designated heritage assets and assets identified by the local planning authority (including local listing).’ ‘Designated heritage asset’ includes (NPPF 2012, 51) any ‘World Heritage Site, Scheduled Monument, Listed Building, Protected Wreck Site, Registered Park and Garden, Registered Battlefield or Conservation Area designated under the relevant legislation.’ ‘Archaeological interest’ is glossed (NPPF 2012, 50) as follows: ‘There will be archaeological interest in a heritage asset if it holds, or potentially may hold, evidence of past human activity worthy of expert investigation at some point. Heritage assets with archaeological interest are the primary source of evidence about the substance and evolution of places, and of the people and cultures that made them.’ Specific guidance on assessing significance and the impact of the proposal is contained in paragraphs 131 to 135: ‘131. In determining planning applications, local planning authorities should take account of: • the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets and putting them to viable uses consistent with their conservation; • the positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic vitality; and • the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness. ‘132. When considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation. The more important the asset, the greater the weight should be. Significance can be harmed or lost through alteration or destruction of the heritage asset or development within its setting. As heritage assets are irreplaceable, any harm or loss should