Where fieldwork is unavoidable, Phoenix Consulting can arrange all required works to ensure the fulfilment of any archaeological planning condition.
Pre Determination Evaluation
A field evaluation could require a number of different techniques:
Trial Trenching – excavation of trenches to identify the presence/absence of archaeology.
Fieldwalking – systematic collection of surface artefacts to locate possible archaeological activity.
Earthwork Survey – measured survey of earthwork features to record their form, extent and level of survival.
Field Boundary Survey – survey of field boundaries to establish their form, function and age.
Geophysical Survey – undertake any required archaeo-geophysical surveys, such as Magnetic Susceptibility, Detailed Magnetometer, Resistivity Survey and Ground Penetrating Radar.
Air Photo Survey – examination of aerial photographs that record sites as cropmarks.
Post Determination Mitigation
Archaeological mitigation can take a number of forms depending on the particular site and planning requirements. It is usually required to preserve an archaeological site “by record” prior to development. The following are the most common forms of mitigation:
Watching Brief – a programme of observation and investigation during development. Watching briefs normally take place where there is a low potential of encountering archaeological remains.
Strip, Map & Sample – when large areas are stripped of soils down to the archaeological horizon. This is carried out under archaeological supervision and any archaeology identified is mapped. Following mapping a decision is made to sample excavate and record the archaeological deposits encountered.
Open-Area Excavation – a more intense investigation based on focused areas of known or suspected archaeological activity.
Reporting
We provide the appropriate, fully illustrated report, to fulfil the requirements of a planning application or planning determination. Where necessary, leading specialists are commissioned to comment upon artefacts or environmental evidence.
