North Conesby Moat, former Normanby Park Steelworks, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire
11 - Enforcement (formal or informal) of an archaeological planning condition enabled the specified works to be completed
The presence of a 'live' and undischarged planning condition after completion of a development was considered to be important and beneficial in helping to secure adequate resources for post-excavation.
Non-designated heritage assets with archaeological and historic interest, of national importance
Land reclamation to excavate contaminated steelworks waste from the former Normanby Park steelworks.
Medieval moated site at North Conesby. Buried by slag from the Normanby Park Steelworks in the 1920s, uncovered and partially excavated in 2003.
A pre-commencement condition was included on the planning permission to clean up contaminated steelworks waste and slag. The condition secured the evaluation and subsequent partial investigation of the medieval moat and manor house of North Conesby. The well-preserved remains, including a timber bridge, had (miraculously) survived 80 years buried beneath 30m high slag heaps.
The moat is recognised as an archaeological site of national importance by Historic England. However, a request in 2003 for it to be scheduled was declined on the grounds that planning system should provide the necessary protection.
A post-excavation assessment report was produced in 2003, but no further funding was made available to undertake the analysis and publish the results in accordance with the agreed archaeological mitigation strategy. The relevant planning conditions have not been discharged and are still ‘live’, and so there may be scope in the future to progress the analysis and publication of the results of the investigation.
The moat’s current protection as a nationally important non-designated monument provided by the NPPF 2019 (footnote 63) is being undermined by the failure of this protection to be properly considered in heritage assessments of the area.
The moat is now surrounded by existing and proposed industrial development and opportunities to promote the site and enhance its setting are therefore in danger of being completely lost.
- Leahy, K and Steedman, K, 2008, Current Archaeology, 26-31
