ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT 1-3 BELLINGHAM ROAD, LONDON BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM, LONDON SE6 2PN DECEMBER 2018 Local Planning Authority: London Borough of Lewisham Site centred at: TQ 37941 72404 Author: Peter Reeves BA (Jt Hons) MCIfA Approved by: Duncan Hawkins BA FSA MSc MCIfA Report Status: FINAL Issue Date: December 2018 CgMs Ref: PR/25158 © 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 1-3 Bellingham Road, London Borough of Lewisham, London SE6 2PN CONTENTS Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction and Scope of Study 2.0 Development Plan Framework 3.0 Geology and Topography 4.0 Archaeological and Historical Background, with Assessment of Significance (Including map regression exercise) 5.0 Site Conditions and the Proposed Development (Review of Potential Impact on Archaeological Assets) 6.0 Summary and Conclusions Sources Consulted Appendix 1 – Indicative Surface Water Drainage Plan showing existing Thames Water Sewer LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site Location Fig. 2 HER Plot (data from GLHER) Fig. 3 1778-1799 Hasted A Map of the Hundred of Blackheath Fig. 4 1800 T. Milne Landuse Map of London and Environs Fig. 5 1843 Lewisham Parish Tithe Map Fig. 6 1862-1863 Ordnance Survey Fig. 7 1888 Bacon Map of London Fig. 8 1897 Ordnance Survey Fig. 9 1910 G.W.Bacon Ward Map Fig. 10 1916 Ordnance Survey Fig. 11 1949 Bomb Damage Map Fig. 12 1848-53 Ordnance Survey Fig. 13 1968 Ordnance Survey Fig. 14 1985 Ordnance Survey Fig. 15 1988-1991 Ordnance Survey Fig. 16 Google Earth Aerial View 2003 Fig. 17 Google Earth Aerial View 2009 Fig. 18 Google Earth Aerial View 2018 Fig. 19 Proposed Development CgMs Limited 1 PR/25158 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment 1-3 Bellingham Road, London Borough of Lewisham, London SE6 2PN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The site of 1-3 Bellingham Road, Lewisham, London SE6 2PN been reviewed for its below ground archaeological potential. In terms of relevant designated heritage assets, no World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Historic Battlefields or Historic Wreck sites are present within the study site or its immediate vicinity. The site is located within an Archaeological Priority Area as designated by the London Borough of Lewisham. The study site can be considered to have a moderate archaeological potential for the Post- Medieval and Modern periods. Evidence for the former horticultural use of the site, which would comprise very ephemeral evidence might be present dating to the Post-medieval use of the site for market gardening. Past-post depositional impacts within the study site are considered to have had a cumulatively negative archaeological impact. The deeper sewer would have had a severe negative archaeological impact where it passes beneath the site (Appendix 1). Development proposals comprise conversion of the existing building fronting Bellingham Road and demolition of existing empty buildings to provide 18 residential units (comprising 4 flats and 14 mews houses) and two commercial units (flexible B use class) in a new building up to 3 storeys, and associated landscaping, car parking, cycle parking, access and refuse storage space. The site is currently occupied and operational with the only available areas for potential pre- determination evaluation trenches located within the central spinal access route. Based on the available information, to assist in enabling the archaeological advisors to arrive at an informed decision we recommend the implementation of archaeological monitoring of relevant additional geotechnical investigations. Archaeological monitoring may be followed by archaeological trial trenching if the geotechnical investigations identify the potential for archaeological assets to be present on the site. The decision will be taken by GLAAS and the Borough. CgMs Limited 2 PR/25158 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment 1-3 Bellingham Road, London Borough of Lewisham, London SE6 2PN 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF STUDY 1.1 This archaeological desk-based assessment has been researched and prepared by CgMs Heritage (Part of the RPS Group), on behalf of the Artifex Group. 1.2 The subject of this assessment comprises the site of 1-3 Bellingham Road, London Borough of Lewisham, London SE6 2PN. The site is centred at TQ 37941 72404 within the London Borough of Lewisham (see Figure 1). 1.3 In terms of relevant designated heritage assets, as defined in Section 2 below, and as shown on Figure 2, no World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Historic Battlefields or Historic Wreck sites are present within the study site or its immediate vicinity. The site is located within an Archaeological Priority Area as defined by the London Borough of Lewisham (DLO35840 – Thames and Ravensbourne Terrace Gravels). 1.4 The Artifex Group have therefore commissioned CgMs Heritage (Part of the RPS Group) to establish the archaeological potential of the site, and to provide guidance on ways to accommodate any archaeological constraints identified. This report is specific to below ground or archaeological heritage assets and does not assess the potential impact of the proposed development on above ground heritage assets (listed buildings and conservation areas). 1.5 In line with relevant planning policy and guidance, this desk-based assessment comprises an examination of evidence on the Greater London Historic Environment Record (GLHER) and other sources, including Lewisham Local Studies Library. The report also includes the results of a comprehensive map regression exercise. 1.6 The Assessment thus enables relevant parties to assess the archaeological potential of various parts of the site and, if necessary, to consider the need for design, civil engineering, and archaeological solutions to the archaeological potential identified. CgMs Limited 3 PR/25158 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment 1-3 Bellingham Road, London Borough of Lewisham, London SE6 2PN 2.0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK 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, and updated in April 2014. 2.2 In March 2012 (revised 2018), the government published the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF is supported by the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG), which was published online 6th March 2014 and last updated 28 July 2017 (updated September 2018) (http://planning guidance.planningportal.gov.uk). The Planning Practice Guide issued in support of PPS5 is still valid however, and Historic England (formerly English Heritage) has provided documentation translating former PPS5 policy into its NPPF counterpart. 2.3 The NPPF and NPPG are additionally supported by three Good Practice Advice (GPA) documents published by Historic England: GPA 1: The Historic Environment in Local Plans; GPA 2: Managing Significance in Decision-Taking in the Historic Environment (both dated March 2015). The second edition of GPA3: The Setting of Heritage Assets was published in December 2017. 2.4 Section 16 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 16 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. 2.5 Section 16 of the NPPF recognises that intelligently managed change may sometimes be necessary if heritage assets are to be maintained for the long term. Paragraph 189 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. CgMs Limited 4 PR/25158 Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment 1-3 Bellingham Road, London Borough of Lewisham, London SE6 2PN 2.6 Paragraph 193 of the NPPF states that great weight should be placed on the conservation of a heritage asset, when considering the impact of proposed development upon the significance of that impact: the more important the asset, the greater the weight. Alteration/destruction to a heritage asset within its setting can harm significance, and as heritage assets are a finite resource, clear and convincing justification needs to be made for harm or loss. Substantial harm to or loss of archaeological heritage assets of the highest significance, notably Scheduled Monuments, should be wholly exceptional. 2.7 Paragraph 196 of the NPPF confirms that non-designated heritage assets of archaeological interest that are demonstrably of equivalent significance to scheduled monuments should be considered subject to the policies for designated heritage assets 2.8 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. 2.9 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 primary source of evidence about the substance and evolution of places, and of the people and cultures that made them.