M13.135.R.014 Document Coversindd.Indd
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Environmental Statement (ES) Volume 3 TECHNICAL APPENDICES September 2015 TECHNICAL APPENDIX F – Historic Environment Desk-Based Assessment Cranebrook Quarry, Watling Street, Hammerwich, Lichfi eld PSL Ref: M13.135.R.018 Land at Cranebrook Quarry, A5 Watling Street Muckley Corner, Brownhills, WS14 0BU (NGR: 407360 306379) A Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment 2015 © Benchmark Archaeology 2015 Land at Cranebrook Quarry, A5 Watling Street Muckley Corner, Brownhills, WS14 0BU (NGR: 407360 306379) A Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment 2015 by 64 Edwards Road Erdington Birmingham B24 9EW Tel: 07939 066 301 Tel/Fax: 0121 241 5771 E: [email protected] W: www.benchmark-archaeology.co.uk For: Reporting: Richard Cherrington Benchmark Archaeology will retain the copyright of any commissioned reports, tender documents or other projected documents, under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 with all rights reserved, excepting that it hereby provides an exclusive licence to the client for the use of such documents by the client in all matters directly relating to the project as described in the Project Design/Specification/Written Scheme of Investigation. Cover Image: Extract from Ordnance Survey mapping of 1882 - 1883 Contents __________________________________________________________________________ Summary 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 SITE LOCATION, DESCRIPTION AND GEOLOGY 3.0 AIMS AND METHODOLOGY 4.0 PLANNING AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK GUIDANCE 5.0 BASELINE CONDITIONS 6.0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CARTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUND SUMMARY 7.0 ASSESSMENT OF EVIDENCE 8.0 CONCLUDING STATEMENTS 9.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 10.0 REFERENCES List of Figures Figure 1: General Site Location Figure 2: Application Site Figure 3: Existing Site Layout Figure 4: Proposed Development Figure 5: Extract from Ordnance Survey mapping of 1882 - 1883 Figure 6: Extract from Ordnance Survey mapping of 1900 Figure 7: Extract from Ordnance Survey mapping of 1921 Figure 8: Extract from Ordnance Survey mapping of 1938 Figure 9: Extract from Ordnance Survey mapping of 1976 Figure 10: Extract from Ordnance Survey mapping of 2006 Figure 11: Modern Site Plan of 2014 List of Plates Plate 1: Proposed quarry extension area looking south Plate 2: Proposed quarry extension area looking west List of Tables Table 1: Assessing the Value of a Cultural Heritage Receptor Summary During July and August 2015, Benchmark Archaeology (BA) undertook a programme of Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment (HEDA) of land at Cranebrook Quarry, A5 Watling Street Muckley Corner, Brownhills, WS14 0BU (NGR: 407360 306379, Figures 1 - 4). The work was commissioned by Pleydell Smithyman Ltd. on behalf of WCL Quarries Ltd. who funded the work. WCL Quarries Ltd. is to submit a consolidating planning application to Staffordshire County Council for a proposed eastern extension to Cranebrook Quarry and the restoration of the quarry to a wildlife enhanced, agriculturally managed landscape. Following confirmation that an Environmental Statement was required to accompany the planning application, a scoping opinion was prepared by Staffordshire County Council in response to a screening and scoping request by Pleydell Smithyman Limited on behalf of WCL Quarries Ltd. The resulting scoping statement identified several environmental issues including impacts upon the historic environment. This HEDA discusses historic environment issues and is to be incorporated into the forthcoming Environmental Statement. This report includes a description of the baseline conditions, examines a range of sources on the archaeological resource of the area and identifies any known and potential receptor(s) within the application site or its immediate vicinity. This report concludes that there is a single surviving undesignated heritage asset (SHER entry 04890 @ SK 0741 0646) within the site located towards the northern boundary of the proposed eastern extension. SHER entry 02221 (@ SK 0795 0680) does not lie within the site but forms the sites southern boundary. Proposed development at the site will in the first instance comprise mineral extraction in the area of the eastern extension. This will be followed by the restoration of the quarry to grassland/ low-level agricultural land (with areas of wildlife enhancement) along with a waterbody. The majority of the site has been subject to high levels of truncation caused by quarrying activity which will have removed any features or deposits of archaeological significance. Only the proposed eastern extension has the potential to contain any buried archaeological remains including the possible Iron Age or Roman enclosure (SHER entry 04890). Any potential direct or indirect impacts upon the Wyrley and Essington Canal (SHER entry 02221) are unclear at this very early stage in the design process. Based on the available data the potential for the presence of archaeological remains within the proposed eastern extension is deemed to be medium to medium / high. The potential for _____________________________________________________________________ Land at Cranebrook Quarry, A5 Watling Street Muckley Corner, Brownhills, WS14 0BU (NGR: 407360 1 306379): A Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment 2015. archaeological remains in the remainder of the site is deemed to be none. Should archaeological remains be present within the proposed eastern extension area the current proposals would impact upon them. Should planning permission be granted it is considered that the disturbance to, or loss of, archaeological remains due to the proposed development could be satisfactorily mitigated through a programme of archaeological work. Further archaeological works and mitigation could be secured through a condition attached to any permission granted. Recommendations regarding mitigation measures will need to be made by the Archaeological Advisor to Staffordshire County Council. _____________________________________________________________________ Land at Cranebrook Quarry, A5 Watling Street Muckley Corner, Brownhills, WS14 0BU (NGR: 2 407360 306379): A Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment 2015. Site (approx) Reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office: Licence 100046210 1.0km Figure 1: General Site Location Application Site Figure 2: Application Site Application Site Figure 3: Existing Site Layout Figure 4: Proposed Development 1.0 INTRODUCTION (Figures 1 – 4) 1.1 Project Background 1.1.1 During July and August 2015, Benchmark Archaeology (BA) undertook a programme of Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment (HEDA) of land at Cranebrook Quarry, A5 Watling Street Muckley Corner, Brownhills, WS14 0BU (NGR: 407360 306379, Figures 1 - 4). The work was commissioned by Pleydell Smithyman Ltd. on behalf of WCL Quarries Ltd. who funded the work. 1.1.2 WCL Quarries Ltd. is to submit a consolidating planning application to Staffordshire County Council for a proposed eastern extension to Cranebrook Quarry and restoration of the quarry to grassland/ low-level agricultural land (with areas of wildlife enhancement) and a waterbody. Following confirmation that an Environmental Statement was required to accompany the planning application, a scoping opinion was prepared by Staffordshire County Council in response to a screening and scoping request by Pleydell Smithyman Limited on behalf of WCL Quarries Ltd. The resulting scoping statement identified several environmental issues including impacts upon the historic environment. This HEDA discusses historic environment issues and is to be incorporated into the forthcoming Environmental Statement. 1.2 Benchmark Archaeology 1.2.1 BA is an independent archaeological organisation providing a wide range of archaeological services carried out to the highest professional standards. They carry out watching briefs, evaluations, excavations, surveys, desk-based assessments, historic building recording, church and garden archaeology, in addition to other specialist and logistical services. BA is committed to ensuring that the client receives a cost- effective service, while maintaining the highest professional standards, and enhancing the archaeological record. All projects are carried out in accordance with NPPF, the guidance of the Treasure Act (1996), and the guidelines and recommendations issued by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and Historic England. 1.2.2 Richard Cherrington is Principal Archaeologist at BA. He has several years experience as a supervising commercial archaeologist working for university and local authority archaeological units in the UK and overseas. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ancient History & Archaeology, a PG Cert in Environmental Management, and a PG Diploma in Practical Archaeology. Richard is an Associate level member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (ACIfA), a Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society (FRGS), and a member of the Council for British Archaeology (CBA), Vernacular Architecture Group (VAG), and the British Brick Society (BBS). _____________________________________________________________________ Land at Cranebrook Quarry, A5 Watling Street Muckley Corner, Brownhills, WS14 0BU (NGR: 407360 3 306379): A Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment 2015. 1.3 Development Proposals 1.3.1 An outline of the current development proposals is given in the document entitled ‘Screening & Scoping request Proposed Extension to Cranebrook Quarry, A5 Watling Street, Muckley Corner, Brownhills, WS14 0BU on behalf of WCL Quarries Ltd. November 2014’ (Playdell Smithyman