ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK BASED ASSESSMENT LAND AT SPRING GARDENS SHOPPING CENTRE BUXTON, DERBYSHIRE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY: HIGH PEAK BOROUGH COUNCIL SITE CENTRED AT: NGR SK 0601 7379 J FORBES MARSDEN BA, MA, Cert Arch, MIFA & M BENNETT-SAMUELS MA (Cantab), Dip LD, MLI, MA SEPTEMBER 2007 Archaeological Desk Based Assessment Spring Gardens Shopping Centre, Buxton, Derbyshire CONTENTS 1.0 Summary 2.0 Introduction and Scope of Study 3.0 Planning Background and Development Plan Framework 4.0 Geology and Topography 5.0 Archaeological and Historical Background 6.0 Site Conditions and the Proposed Development 7.0 Conclusions 8.0 Bibliography APPENDIX 1: Gazetteer of SMR Entries Figure 1 Location Plan 1:25000 Figure 2 Site Plan (not to scale) Figure 3 SMR Data 1:12500 Figure 4 Burdett’s map, 1791 Figure 5 Ordnance Survey 1˝ map, 1839 Figure 6 Buxton Gas Works, plan of land to be taken, 1869 Figure 7 Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map, 1879 Figure 8 Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map, 1890 Figure 9 Ordnance Survey 1:1250 map, 1922 Figure 10 Ordnance Survey 1:1250 map, 1967 Figure 11 Ordnance Survey 1:1250 map, 1977 Plate 1 Air Photograph from the South-West © CgMs Ltd 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 Stationary Office Licence Number AL100014723 CgMs Limited © 1 MB-S/8818 Archaeological Desk Based Assessment Spring Gardens Shopping Centre, Buxton, Derbyshire 1.0 Summary A desk-based archaeological assessment has been carried out by CgMs on land at Spring Gardens, Buxton, on behalf of Threadneedle Property Investments. The site is centred on NGR SK 0601 7379, and covers an area of approximately 2.77ha. It lies on a series of terraces, and comprises part of the Spring Gardens Shopping Centre, a sub-station, car parking and service areas. Although there is evidence of prehistoric activity in the area, Buxton came to prominence during the Roman period, as a spa. Remains related to the spa have been found close to the site of St Anne’s Well, approximately 200m south-west of the site. The remains of the Roman town, as evidenced by the location of recorded finds, lie generally to the east and south of St Anne’s Well, and the existence of a fort is postulated approximately 400m south-east of the site, although to date no evidence of its location has been found. There is no indication that the small Roman town survived beyond the end of the Roman period, and there are no records of Saxon remains in the vicinity. Nor is Buxton recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest documentary reference dating from 1108. There are no records of medieval remains in the vicinity, and the site lay well outside the estimated extent of the medieval settlement. In 1572-3 the Earl of Shrewsbury built New Hall, to provide lodgings for persons of rank taking the waters at St Anne’s Well and visiting the thermal bath adjoining the Hall. Buxton continued to develop as a spa through the seventeenth century, although it remained a very small settlement, with a population of about 80 in 1672. The town grew extensively from towards the end of the eighteenth century, although the OS 1˝ map of 1839 shows that the site remained largely undeveloped at that time. The Midland Railway occupied the northern portion of the site by 1863, and by 1879 the site contained a hotel, a gas works and a number of smaller buildings. Piecemeal development continued in the early twentieth century, and in the late 1960s and 1970s the site was comprehensively redeveloped with the construction of Station Road, New Wye Street and the Spring Gardens shopping centre. Although a relatively large number of dated archaeological finds are recorded in the study area, most of which relate to the Roman and Industrial periods, the site lies outside the area of concentrated Roman activity, and does not appear to have developed significantly until the mid-nineteenth century, when the railway was constructed. It lies outside the Area of Archaeological Interest designated by High Peak Borough Council. It is therefore considered to have a generally low potential for archaeological remains, particularly taking into account the extensive terracing and ground modelling that has taken place. It is therefore recommended that no further investigation is required in respect of below-ground archaeology. CgMs Limited © 2 MB-S/8818 Archaeological Desk Based Assessment Spring Gardens Shopping Centre, Buxton, Derbyshire 2.0 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF STUDY 2.1 This archaeological desk-based assessment has been researched and prepared on behalf of Threadneedle Property Investments by J Forbes Marsden and Margaret Bennett-Samuels, and edited by J Forbes Marsden, of CgMs Consulting. 2.2 The assessment considers land at Spring Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire. The site is approximately 2.77 hectares in extent and is centred at National Grid Reference SK 0601 7379 (Figures 1 and 2). It is located in the parish of Buxton, which was created in the 1860s from parts of the ancient parishes of Hope and Bakewell (Youngs, 1991). The site is bounded to the north and east by Station Road. Spring Gardens, which is lined with shops and commercial premises, lies to the south, and Station Approach lies to the west, with The Quadrant beyond, comprising further shops and commercial premises. 2.3 In accordance with government guidance on archaeology and planning (PPG16) this assessment draws together the available archaeological, topographic and land-use information in order to clarify the archaeological potential of the site. 2.4 The assessment comprises an examination of evidence in the Derbyshire County Record Office and Local Studies Library and the Derbyshire Sites and Monuments Record (SMR), considers the results of nearby archaeological investigations, incorporates published and unpublished material and charts historic land-use through a map regression exercise. 2.5 As a result, the assessment enables relevant parties to assess the archaeological potential of the site and to consider the need for design, civil engineering, and/or archaeological solutions to the potential identified. CgMs Limited © 3 MB-S/8818 Archaeological Desk Based Assessment Spring Gardens Shopping Centre, Buxton, Derbyshire 3.0 PLANNING BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK 3.1 In November 1990 the Department of the Environment issued Planning Policy Guidance Note 16 (PPG16) ‘Archaeology and Planning’, providing guidance for planning authorities, property owners, developers and others on the preservation and investigation of archaeological remains. 3.2 In considering any planning application for development, the local planning authority will be guided by the policy framework set by government guidance, in this instance PPG16, by current Development Plan policy and by other material considerations. 3.3 The Development Plan framework is provided by the Derbyshire Structure Plan and the High Peak Local Plan. 3.4 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) allows for adopted structure and local plans to be ‘saved’ for a period of three years from the commencement of the Act in September 2004, to enable a smooth transition from the old system under the 1990 Planning & Compensation Act and the new spatial planning system. For plans in preparation the three year period will start from adoption of the draft plan. Following the commencement of the Act, policies in local plans will, however, continue to form part of the development plan for a period of 3 years (or 3 years from adoption if the plan was in preparation at the time of commencement of the Act) unless they are either replaced by more up-to-date policy in a development plan document included in the Local Development Framework or extended for a further period by the Secretary of State. 3.5 At the present time the 2005 High Peak Local Plan continues to be the key planning policy document used by High Peak Borough Council in the determination of planning applications for which it is the local planning authority. 3.6 The Derbyshire Structure Plan contains the following policy which provides a framework for the consideration of development proposals affecting archaeological and heritage features. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY 12: Archaeological and other heritage features Development on or adjacent to archaeological or other heritage features will be considered against the need to ensure their preservation in situ, CgMs Limited © 4 MB-S/8818 Archaeological Desk Based Assessment Spring Gardens Shopping Centre, Buxton, Derbyshire conservation, interpretation and, where appropriate, investigation. In particular: a) where development proposals may disturb or destroy archaeological remains or other heritage features an archaeological evaluation will be required to assess the nature and importance of the archaeological remains and the effect of the proposed development on them. Where important archaeological remains are identified, applicants will be required to submit a written mitigation strategy as part of their planning application demonstrating how the impact of the proposed development can be mitigated b) planning permission will not be granted for development which would disturb or destroy Scheduled Ancient Monuments or other nationally important archaeological sites or monuments and/or their setting c) in the case of less than national importance where preservation of remains in situ is not feasible and there is an overriding need for development which will disturb or destroy archaeological or other heritage features known to be of importance, measures will be taken to minimise its impact on those features and to ensure an appropriate level of recording is carried out prior to and during development to ensure preservation by record 3.7 The High Peak Local Plan was adopted in 2005.