HeritageCollective Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment Birmingham Road, Ansley, Nuneaton, Warwickshire On behalf of Cartwright Homes August 2015 Project Ref: 1499 Project Number: 1499 Authored by: Michelle Collings Reviewed by: Karl Hulka Date: August 2015 Document version M:\HC\Projects\Projects 1401- 1500\14.1499 -Birmingham Road, Nuneaton\Reports\ 2015.08.12 1499 Birmingham Road, Ansley DBAv.1docx HeritageCollective CONTENTS PAGE NO. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 1.0 INTRODUCTION 6 2.0 PLANNING FRAMEWORK 8 3.0 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY 10 4.0 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 12 5.0 SITE CONDITIONS AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 23 6.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 25 SOURCES CONSULTED 26 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: Site location maps APPENDIX 2: Warwickshire HER map and list APPENDIX 3: Historic maps and images Appendix 3.1: 1576 - Saxton’s Warwic Lecestriae Coitat Appendix 3.2: 1817 Ordnance Surveyors Drawing Appendix 3.3: 1844 Tithe map Appendix 3.4: 1888 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.5: 1904 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.6: 1925 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.7: 1945 RAF Aerial Photograph Appendix 3.8: 1955 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.9: 1956-1959 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.10: 1990 Ordnance Survey map Appendix 3.11: 1999 Google Earth Image Appendix 3.12: 2006 Google Earth Image Appendix 3.13: 2013 Google Earth Image APPENDIX 4: Proposed development Archaeological Desk Birmingham Road, Ansley, On behalf of Cartwright August 2015 © 3 Based Assessment Nuneaton, Warwickshire Homes HeritageCollective EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The site known as Birmingham Road, Ansley, Warwickshire is proposed for development. The application site has been shown to have a low to moderate potential for encountering medieval remains of an agricultural nature and unstratified finds of medieval date. There is also low to moderate potential for remains and finds associated with the construction of the existing and earlier buildings. This assessment suggests a low potential for remains of other periods to survive on site. The principal existing impacts on any surviving archaeological deposits and features will derive from any former agricultural activities across the application site. Additionally, any trees or former trees and areas of dense vegetation are likely to have had an impact on below ground deposits due to root turbation. Further, any 19th century development at the southwest corner and adjoining the application site will have had a negative impact. Following which demolition, grubbing out and any associated landscaping will have had a negative impact beyond the former building footprints. Subsequently, a pond was constructed at the southwest of the application site by 1888 and it is likely that this had an impact on below ground deposits beyond its footprint. Notably, a building and two ancillary buildings were constructed within the northern part of the application site by the late 20th century. It is probable that the construction of these buildings impacted upon the northern part of the application site, beyond their current footprints. On the basis of the available evidence for medieval remains it is advised that further archaeological work will be required. Any such work should be carried out in a staged way. In the first instance this should include the monitoring of ground investigations in order to assess the level of survival of any archaeological deposits present and characterise any remains revealed. The results of this monitoring should inform the extent and scope of further archaeological work, if deemed pertinent. Any areas of potential identified during monitoring could be targeted during a separate programme of archaeological works such as evaluation (by geophysical survey and/ or trial trenching). There is no evidence to suggest that archaeological remains requiring preservation in-situ exist within the application site. Accordingly, if Archaeological Desk Birmingham Road, Ansley, On behalf of Cartwright August 2015 © 4 Based Assessment Nuneaton, Warwickshire Homes HeritageCollective required any further archaeological investigation could be adequately dealt with by the imposition of a suitably worded condition attached to the consented scheme. Archaeological Desk Birmingham Road, Ansley, On behalf of Cartwright August 2015 © 5 Based Assessment Nuneaton, Warwickshire Homes HeritageCollective 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This archaeological desk-based assessment has been prepared by Michelle Collings (ACIfA), senior archaeological consultant at Heritage Collective on behalf of Cartwright Homes. Documentary research was carried out by the author and Nick Garland (ACIfA), archaeological consultant at Heritage Collective. 1.2 The subject of this assessment is the site known as Birmingham Road, Ansley, Warwickshire hereafter referred to as the ‘application site’. The application site is located at the south of Ansley and is centred at National Grid Reference (NGR) SP (4)29748 (2)91748 (Appendix 1). 1.3 The application site lies to the immediate east of Ansely Conservation Area. There are no registered parks and gardens or scheduled monuments located within the 2km radius study area. 1.4 Cartwright Homes has commissioned Heritage Collective to establish the archaeological potential of the application site, and to provide guidance on ways to accommodate any relevant constraints identified. This assessment is in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the procedures set out in ‘Standard and Guidance for Historic Environment Desk-based Assessment’1. 1.5 This desk-based assessment comprises an examination of evidence on the Warwickshire Historic Environment Record (HER) together with a range of archives and libraries including the Warwickshire Record Office, The British Library and the National Archives. The report incorporates the results of a comprehensive map regression exercise in order to review the impacts of existing development on potential underlying archaeological deposits. A site visit was also undertaken by Karl Hulka (ACIfA), archaeological director at Heritage Collective on the 18th July 2014 in good conditions. 1 Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. Standard and Guidance for historic desk-based assessment. CIfA (2014). Archaeological Desk Birmingham Road, Ansley, On behalf of Cartwright August 2015 © 6 Based Assessment Nuneaton, Warwickshire Homes HeritageCollective 1.6 The assessment thus enables all relevant parties to assess the archaeological potential of the site and to consider the need for design, civil engineering and archaeological solutions to the potentials identified. Archaeological Desk Birmingham Road, Ansley, On behalf of Cartwright August 2015 © 7 Based Assessment Nuneaton, Warwickshire Homes HeritageCollective 2.0 PLANNING FRAMEWORK National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2.1 Legislation regarding archaeology, including scheduled ancient monuments, is contained in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, amended by the National Heritage Act 1983 and 2002. 2.2 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published in March 2012 provides guidance for planning authorities, property owners, developers and others on the preservation and investigation of archaeological remains. The framework sets out the obligations placed on the local planning authority (Chapter 12) through the development and implementation of a local plan. The framework also sets out the need for the determining authority to ensure that they have sufficient information when making decisions on applications affecting the historic environment. 2.3 In summary, government guidance on archaeology contained within the NPPF provides a structure for making decisions: x where designated heritage assets (world heritage sites, scheduled monuments, listed buildings, protected wreck sites, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields and conservation areas) are affected by development x where the settings of heritage assets are affected by development x where nationally important un-scheduled monuments are affected by development 2.4 In addition the National Planning Policy Framework: x requires the applicant to provide proportionate information on heritage assets affected by the proposals and an assessment of the impact of the proposed development on the significance of the heritage asset x places a duty on the decision making body to determine applications on the basis of sufficient evidence, gathered if necessary from field evaluation. Archaeological Desk Birmingham Road, Ansley, On behalf of Cartwright August 2015 © 8 Based Assessment Nuneaton, Warwickshire Homes HeritageCollective Local Policies North Warwickshire Borough Council Local Plan and Core Strategy 2.5 North Warwickshire Borough Council Local Plan 2006 was adopted on the 4th July 2006. All but three polices were saved by Secretary of State, however the Core Strategy adopted in October 2014 replaced some of the Local Plan 2006 saved policies. Subsequently, North Warwickshire Borough Council Local Development Scheme (LDS) (setting out the timetable for the production of local development documents) was adopted in January 2015. The Core Strategy (adopted October 2014) contains a single overarching policy relating to heritage. 2.6 Policy NW14: Historic Environment The Council recognises the importance of the historic environment to the Borough’s local character, identity and distinctiveness, its cultural, social, environmental and economic benefits. The quality, character, diversity and local distinctiveness of the historic environment will