Heritage Impact Statement
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Heritage Impact Statement Land at Crumps Yard, Dock Road, Connah’s Quay August 2019 Client Stephenson Halliday for Flintshire County Council Site name Crumps Yard Solar Farm, Dock Road, Connah’s Quay Report type Heritage Impact Statement Report reference P18013/02.02 Report date 15 March 2019, updated following consultation 29 July 2019 Prepared by Helena Kelly, BSc, MIFA Heritage Archaeology Ltd Harborough Innovation Centre Airfield Business Park, Leicester Rd, Market Harborough LE16 7WB Revision history V1.0; 15.03.19 Client draft V1.2; 29.07.19 Updated following consultation with CPAT V2.0; 22.08.19 Updated with finalised site boundary. Final Summary The Crumps Yard Solar Farm Application Site is within an area of former marshland, reclaimed during the late 19th century. It was the site of a Wagon Works and Chemical Works during the 19th and 20th centuries. 1.1. The Chemical Works was partially demolished in the late 19th/ early 20th century with one building retained and used as a Wagon Works. That in turn was demolished in the late 1950’s/ early 1960’s when the Wagon Works was redeveloped. The Wagon Repair Workshop was extended in the 1980s but went out of use and was demolished by the early 2000s. No structures survive on site, although the hard standing of the 1980s building is evident. 1.2. Although the Application Site has potential for remains associated with this activity to be present, the reclamation and modern redevelopment activities within the Application Site are likely to have impacted any archaeological remains. That, and the nature of the proposed development which has limited below ground impacts, results in the predicted effects being minor (adverse). No mitigation is proposed in relation to the historic environment. The Application Site is not within the settings of any designated heritage assets, including nine grade II listed buildings within 1km of the Application Site. There is no inter-visibility between the Application Site and these assets. The Proposals would not be capable of affecting the contribution made by setting to the heritage values of these assets. Contents 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 Site location ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 Aims of the assessment..................................................................................................................................... 1 Planning context .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Best practice and guidance .............................................................................................................................. 2 2 Method of assessment .................................................................................................................................. 4 Study area............................................................................................................................................................... 4 Data sources .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Site visit ................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Determining the level of effect ...................................................................................................................... 5 3 Archaeological and historic context ........................................................................................................ 7 Background ............................................................................................................................................................ 7 Historic map regression .................................................................................................................................... 8 Site visit ................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Historic landscape character ........................................................................................................................ 11 4 Known historic assets within the study area ...................................................................................... 12 Designated historic assets ............................................................................................................................. 12 Non-designated historic assets ................................................................................................................... 12 Archaeological potential ................................................................................................................................ 13 5 Discussion and conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 14 Level of impact .................................................................................................................................................. 14 Consultation ....................................................................................................................................................... 14 Mitigation ............................................................................................................................................................ 14 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 6 References, glossary and abbreviations .............................................................................................. 16 References ........................................................................................................................................................... 17 Appendix A – Gazetteer of know historic assets ....................................................................................... 18 Connah’s Quay Solar Farm Heritage Impact Statement P00015.01.02 1 Introduction 1.3. This heritage impact statement has been prepared on behalf of Stephenson Halliday Limited, for Flintshire County Council (the Applicant). It provides a historic environment assessment in relation to a proposed solar farm located at Crumps Yard, Dock Road, Connah’s Quay (the Application Site). This assessment considers known and potential effects on archaeology and cultural heritage (collectively known as historic assets) and affects that could arise as a result of development within the setting of historic assets. Site location 1.4. The site is located at Crumps Yard, Dock Road, Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, CH5 4DU, national grid reference SJ 2969, 6973 (site centre). 1.5. It is in the historic parish of Northop (now Connah’s Quay), and County of Flintshire. The relevant Historic Environment Record (HER) is held by Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, which also provides advice on planning and the historic environment to Flintshire County Council. Figure 1: Location of Application Site Aims of the assessment 1.6. The assessment aims to determine, as far as reasonably possible from existing records, the nature, extent and significance of any historic assets that could be affected by development within the site. The assessment will also use background data to evaluate the potential for previously unrecorded historic assets to be present within the site. 1 Connah’s Quay Solar Farm Heritage Impact Statement P00015.01.02 1.7. This report also provides an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed development on the significance of historic assets within or near to the site. Assumptions and limitations 1.8. Archaeological evidence is often buried and invisible from the ground surface, it is therefore possible that the extent, character and significance of an asset could vary from that described in the consulted data sources. A reasonable worse case has been taken in the assessment that follows, and professional judgement used to determine the likely significance (or value) of historic assets where the precise nature of the asset is not known. Planning context Legislation 1.9. Heritage protection in Wales is provided for by the following statutory legislation: • Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016; • Planning (Wales) Act 2015; • Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990; and • Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Planning Policy Wales, Edition 10, Welsh Government, December 2018 1.10. Paragraph 6.1.7 of Planning Policy Wales (PPW) identifies that “it is important that the planning system looks to protect, conserve and enhance the significance of historic assets. This will include consideration of the setting of an historic asset which might extend beyond its curtilage”. Paragraph 6.1.9 states that “Any decisions made through the planning system must fully consider the impact on the historic environment and on the significance and heritage values of individual historic assets and their contribution to the character of place”. Best practice and guidance 1.11. The following guidance