Assessing Archaeological Risk for Developers An integrated approach HBF ANNUAL PLANNING CONFERENCE Upfront & Planning Assessing Archaeological Risk for Developers An integrated approach

Your Perspective(s) of Archaeology Interesting Limited understanding Time Team Delays Vocational

Strategic Considerations Government Policy to house building Sustainability Competition for land Flood risk/flood plains Is archaeology really being considered as part of the overall strategic housing need What do we want to do with archaeology?

Where Does Heritage Fit? Development Appraisal Process Planning Process Design Process Heritage Process

Current Trends (mindsets and perspectives) Archaeology not understood as a business risk Planning process (PPG 16) too late No cohesion between archaeology and design process Consideration of issues by Developer and design team too late Archaeology underestimated as a risk

Risks to Development Stand down time for contractors Archaeology not understood as a business risk Delays to groundworks and contractors programme Effects profit and loss forecasts Increased costs due to inadequate assessment Delays to planning determination/ permissions Onerous conditions Planning refusal

Certainty Need to consider archaeology as part of developers’ overall approach to to below ground issues Align archaeological process with internal appraisal process Influence conditions Will they be necessary? Early consideration at Site Appraisal Stage Cost and programme certainty

Assessment of Non-Archaeological Information to Gauge Risk Geotechnical investigations – assessment/monitoring Information from ground remediation Creation of deposit model Contamination Historic contamination/disturbance Invaluable information on level of disturbance Provide an indication into the potential for archaeology to occur Zone down archaeological risk

Review info from assessment before and or at Master Planning Stage Archaeology present No Archaeology present Avoidance by locating elements of your design in archaeological areas Site destroyed by post-medieval and modern disturbance Other solutions to reduce the risk / avoid archaeology include (engineering lead): Rafting over the archaeology Grouping of piles Use of narrow spaced bore piles NO CONDITION/ CONDITION DISCHARGED Limited Fieldwork negotiated, zoned, controlled and managed to reduce the risk

Benefits of Our Approach Archaeology integrated as part of the whole development process Contamination approach thus earlier warning Cost benefit analysis Archaeology viewed as a business risk Look at sites you might have avoided Greater cost/programme certainty Tighter market- need to control costs, maintain products and profit

Key Learning The Planning Process is too late for the developer’s process – needs to be upfront Integrate archaeology as part of your whole below ground strategy Sustainable approach – Keep it in the ground but………….. Archaeology should be approached as another form of contamination Staged approach built into your overall programme Keep it SIMPLE

The Future How is archaeology helping your business? What return are you getting? How much do you spend on archaeology ? Are you delayed by archaeology? What information do you need for your business plan? Is archaeology integrated within your procedures?