Managing archaeological risk
CIRIA is currently undertaking a research project on archaeological risks associated with development and construction
The project published ‘Archaeology & development: a good practice guide to managing risk and maximising benefit’, in November 2007. This article explains why the guide is needed, sets out its target audience and aims, and offers an indication of its contents.
The guide is being produced by a combined project team of the Museum of London Archaeology Service (MoLAS), the Institute of Field Archaeologists (IFA) and Scott Wilson Group Ltd, guided by a steering group of experts in the fields of construction, development, engineering, environmental protection, and historic environment management.
Archaeology is often underestimated as a business risk. Additionally, existing legislation and planning advice relating to the historic environment in the United Kingdom, together with other guidance produced by the various heritage and archaeological bodies is disparate and potentially confusing. The guide will provide independent and practical advice to clients, investors, design teams, insurers and underwriters and the construction team, as well as site engineers, site managers, specialist subcontractors, archaeologists, planners and other historic environment professionals. It will focus on buried archaeological remains and will aim to enhance the development and construction industries’ understanding of the archaeological process, helping them to identify, manage, and reduce (mitigate) potential adverse risks associated with poor practice or non-compliance during the legal, planning, design and construction process (such as programme delays, reputational risks, risk to investment etc).
Despite the complexity of the legal and planning framework, much of the advice will be surprisingly simple. For example: -
- Take a proactive approach to archaeology. Consideration of archaeology at the earliest opportunity in the development process, preferably at site purchase, will enable the developer to identify the key risks to the overall development programme and identify any potential costs and benefits.
- Consultation with heritage bodies and county/unitary/local authority officers at the earliest opportunity prior to the planning process will enable you to obtain known information on the potential for archaeological remains to occur within the development area. This information can then be fully considered when planning a future site strategy towards assessing the archaeological risk.
- Take early advice from an archaeological consultant who can undertake the necessary risk assessment and negotiate independently on your behalf with statutory authorities.
- Acknowledge that archaeology often contains a residual risk of unexpected discoveries being made and prepare for this. Although risks may be reduced or quantified by early site surveys, the risk of unexpected finds on site can never be eliminated. If a process is already in place for dealing with these, potential delays caused by archaeology can be minimised.
- Focus on how archaeology may make a positive contribution to your project and overall business through, for example, favourable public relations.
- Inform local residents of the steps you are taking to search for, record or preserve archaeological remains. Plan for open days or temporary exhibitions.
- Incorporate archaeology into the design where appropriate. The preservation of archaeology in situ within a development is a very positive outcome both for the archaeology itself and to contribute to sustainable developments.
- The guide will be illustrated with a series of case studies demonstrating innovative project planning and best practice provided by steering group members from across the UK.
For further information about the project or the guidance visit www.ciria.org/ rp741.htm, email enquiries@ciria.org or contact CIRIA, Tel: 020 7549 3300.
Case studies
Merton and Bennetts Mill’s
(London Borough of Merton) development of a hotel, leisure centre, residential accommodation, restaurants and a heritage centre (Countryside Properties Plc/Copthorn Homes) was complicated by the fact that part of the site was a Scheduled Monument - the medieval Merton Priory. Following a staged approach to an agreed strategy including an archaeological desk-based survey and on-site trial work, a multi disciplinary project team developed a design that allowed development of the site, while preserving medieval remains in situ, and excavating later archaeological remains in limited areas where preservation was not possible - such as the 19th century mill-race.
Scott Wilson Group Ltd.
The early assessment of the Courage Brewery site in Southwark through focused archaeological evaluation enabled the remains of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to be revealed. Then through a process of considering the physical extent of the remains in relation to the aspirations of the developer’s design, collaboration between the developer and design team, English Heritage, The Musuem of London and specialist environmental scientists has ensured that the remains of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre are preserved beneath the courtyard of a residential development. The layout of the theatre walls is reflected in a decorative paving scheme and permanent display boards explain the history of the site.
