T H A M E S V A L L E Y ARCHAEOLOGICAL S E R V I C E S Land off Standlake Road, Ducklington, Oxfordshire Archaeological Desk-based Assessment by Gordana Baljkas Site Code SRD15/98 (SP 3610 0730) Land off Standlake Road, Ducklington, Oxfordshire Archaeological Desk-based Assessment for Ms Isabel Barrell by Gordana Baljkas Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code SRD 15/98 June 2015 Summary Site name: Land off Standlake Road, Ducklington, Oxfordshire Grid reference: SP 3610 0730 Site activity: Archaeological desk-based assessment Project manager: Steve Ford Site supervisor: Gordana Baljkas Site code: SRD 15/98 Area of site: c. 1.35ha Summary of results: While there are no known heritage assets on the proposal site or in its immediate vicinity, the site lies within an area of high archaeological potential due to its proximity to a range of recorded archaeological remains, and therefore there is a possibility that it may contain unrecorded, non-designated heritage assets of archaeological interest. Furthermore, historic maps show that, while the proposal site in the post-medieval period was predominantly pastoral and undeveloped, it also featured a mill race carrying the water to the nearby Ducklington Mill. The mill race was in existence throughout this period until, most likely, the mid-1980s when Ducklington Mill was redeveloped and the mill race, rendered obsolete, filled in. In the light of this, it is anticipated that it will be necessary to provide further information about the potential of the site from field observation (evaluation) in order to draw up a scheme to mitigate the impact of development if any archaeological deposits are present. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. All TVAS unpublished fieldwork reports are available on our website: www.tvas.co.uk/reports/reports.asp. Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford05.06.15 Steve Preston 05.06.15 i Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 47–49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading RG1 5NR Tel. (0118) 926 0552; Fax (0118) 926 0553; email: [email protected]; website: www.tvas.co.uk Land off Standlake Road, Ducklington, Oxfordshire Archaeological Desk-based Assessment by Gordana Baljkas Report 15/98 Introduction This report represents a desk-based assessment of the archaeological potential of approximately 1.35 hectares of land off Standlake Road, Ducklington, Oxfordshire centred at NGR SP 361 073 (Fig. 1). The project was commissioned by Mr Simon Joyce of Strutt & Parker LLP, 269 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7LL on behalf of Ms Isabel Barrell and comprises the first stage of a process to determine the presence/absence, extent, character, quality and date of any archaeological remains which may be affected by redevelopment of the area. Site description, location and geology The site currently consists of an irregular parcel of land south-east of Ducklington, which is itself south of Witney in Oxfordshire. It covers an area of approximately 1.35 hectares (Fig. 1). The northern, north-eastern and north-western boundaries are formed by a long dry ditch, the western boundary by Standlake Road, the southern and south-eastern by stone walls, adjoining residential buildings, fences and a pond, while to the east the grassland stretches to the River Windrush without a physical boundary marking the limits of the site. Topographically, the site is located on alluvium of the Windrush (BGS 1982). The site is at a height of approximately 75–77m above Ordnance Datum. The site is currently used to graze horses and houses a stable (Pls 1–3). It is traversed by an overhead telecommunications cable. The site is separated from Standlake Road by a 4–7 m high hedge, while the boundary towards the dry ditch is obscured by a thick tree and bush hedge. A number of larger trees are dispersed throughout the north-western portion of the site. Planning background and development proposals Planning permission is to be sought from West Oxfordshire District Council for a residential development of land off Standlake Road of up to 24 dwellings. There are no detailed proposals available at time of writing. The Department for Communities and Local Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF 2012) sets out the framework within which local planning authorities should consider the importance of conserving, or enhancing, aspects of the historic environment, within the planning process. It requires an 1 applicant for planning consent to provide, as part of any application, sufficient information to enable the local planning authority to assess the significance of any heritage assets that may be affected by the proposal. The Historic Environment is defined (NPPF 2012, 52) as: ‘All aspects of the environment resulting from the interaction between people and places through time, including all surviving physical remains of past human activity, whether visible, buried or submerged, and landscaped and planted or managed flora.’ Paragraphs 128 and 129 state that ‘128. In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. As a minimum the relevant historic environment record should have been consulted and the heritage assets assessed using appropriate expertise where necessary. Where a site on which development is proposed includes or has the potential to include heritage assets with archaeological interest, local planning authorities should require developers to submit an appropriate desk-based assessment and, where necessary, a field evaluation. ‘129. Local planning authorities should identify and assess the particular significance of any heritage asset that may be affected by a proposal (including by development affecting the setting of a heritage asset) taking account of the available evidence and any necessary expertise. They should take this assessment into account when considering the impact of a proposal on a heritage asset, to avoid or minimise conflict between the heritage asset’s conservation and any aspect of the proposal.’ A ‘heritage asset’ is defined (NPPF 2012, 52) as ‘A building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of its heritage interest. Heritage asset includes designated heritage assets and assets identified by the local planning authority (including local listing).’ ‘Designated heritage asset’ includes (NPPF 2012, 51) any ‘World Heritage Site, Scheduled Monument, Listed Building, Protected Wreck Site, Registered Park and Garden, Registered Battlefield or Conservation Area designated under the relevant legislation.’ ‘Archaeological interest’ is glossed (NPPF 2012, 50) as follows: ‘There will be archaeological interest in a heritage asset if it holds, or potentially may 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.’ Specific guidance on assessing significance and the impact of the proposal is contained in paragraphs 131 to 135: ‘131. In determining planning applications, local planning authorities should take account of: the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets and putting them to viable uses consistent with their conservation; the positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic vitality; and the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness. ‘132. When considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation. The more important the asset, the greater the weight should be. Significance can be harmed or lost through alteration or destruction of the heritage asset or development within its setting. As heritage assets are irreplaceable, any harm or loss should require clear and convincing justification. Substantial harm to or loss of a grade II listed building, park or garden should be exceptional. Substantial harm to or 2 loss of designated heritage assets of the highest significance, notably scheduled monuments, protected wreck sites, battlefields, grade I and II* listed buildings, grade I and II* registered parks and gardens, and World Heritage Sites, should be wholly exceptional. ‘133. Where a proposed development will lead to substantial harm to or total loss of significance of a designated heritage asset, local planning authorities should refuse consent, unless it can be demonstrated that the substantial harm or loss is necessary to achieve substantial public benefits that outweigh that harm or loss, or all of the following apply: the nature of the heritage asset prevents all reasonable uses of the site; and no viable use of the heritage asset itself can be found in the medium term through appropriate marketing that will enable its conservation; and conservation by grant-funding or some form of charitable or public ownership is demonstrably not possible; and the harm or loss is outweighed by the benefit