59-61 West Street, Havant, Hampshire
7 - Pre-commencement archaeological conditions were attached to a planning permission
Pre-commencement archaeological conditions were attached to a planning permission and were necessary in order to enable the development to be permitted.
10 - Archaeological planning condition was discharged before the specified works had been completed
A planning condition has been discharged before investigation has been completed in accordance with the WSI, or the post-excavation stage agreed and resourced, and this caused difficulties with securing post-excavation, publication, archiving.
Undesignated heritage assets with archaeological and historic interest
Conversion of existing joinery (Henry Jones building) to form flats, demolition of remaining buildings and construction of 16 houses.
The application site is situated close to the historic core of Havant where there is evidence of Roman, medieval and later activity.
An archaeological evaluation identified Roman material, mainly of the 1st-3rd centuries AD and:
"including samian ware, fragments of amphorae from southern Spain, pottery from the nearby kilns at Rowland’s Castle, a well- preserved Roman copper alloy spoon, and a fragment of imported green marbled limestone veneer, similar to that used on the walls at Fishbourne Roman Palace"
(Oxford Archaeology 2015, 6).
Medieval activity of the 13th-14th century, and late Medieval-Tudor pits were also recorded.
Planning permission was granted with a pre-commencement planning condition requiring a programme of archaeological investigation.
Three small areas of excavation, together with a watching brief on other parts of the site, were subsequently carried out. The results are summarised by the post-excavation assessment as follows:
"Excavations in the south-eastern area (Area 1) revealed a number of postholes and pits dating to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Other postholes were undated, but appeared to form part of a rectangular structure along with the Roman features. Further postholes contained medieval pottery. Area 2 (the north-eastern area) was dominated by a straight ditch of early Roman date, extending SE-NW across the site. A brick and chalk block-constructed well of post-medieval date was found in the south-eastern corner of Area 2. Close to this well was a chalk block wall that had suffered extensive damage but whose construction was similar enough to suggest it was contemporary with the well. Area 3 (the north-western area) produced four isolated features of which two were dated: a posthole of 2nd century AD date and a linear feature of likely post-medieval date"
(Oxford Archaeology 2015, 4)
The fieldwork was completed on time and to budget. The watching brief was reduced to concentrate resources on the remains discovered during the excavation.
A short post-excavation assessment report and publication proposal was completed following the fieldwork. The agreed analysis and publication work was 3-4 months into production before it was cancelled, following the early discharge of the planning condition by the LPA.
Project budget - unknown
Fieldwork and PXA - £17,690
Publication - £12,000 (cancelled).
Because the planning condition that specified the archaeological work had been discharged there was no longer any formal requirement for the post-excavation and publication to be completed. As a consequence the work remains incomplete; no publication has been produced and the archive cannot be deposited with an appropriate museum.
A local press release was proposed but not authorised.
This outcome of this case will influence future procedure on the discharge of archaeological planning conditions.
- Southampton Archaeology Unit 2014, Archaeological Evaluation of Land at 59-61 West Street, Havant, Hampshire. Unpublished report, no 1172.
- Oxford Archaeology 2015, 59-61 West Street, Havant, Hampshire: Post-excavation assessment and project design. Unpublished report OA 6190.
