As part of the Proposed Submission South Somerset Local Plan 2006–2028, extensions to Yeovil, Ilminster and Wincanton are proposed.
Following a consultation request from South Somerset District Council (SSDC) to
Somerset County Council (SCC) this document identifies the archaeological issues associated with potential impacts on heritage assets and proposes appropriate assessment and mitigation measures.
An Archaeological Issues paper was submitted to cover the Yeovil southern extension
(East Coker, Appendix 2b). This document supersedes the earlier Issues paper.
The National Planning Policy Framework, 2012 (NFFP), states that:
“Local planning authorities should set out in their Local Plan a positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment...In doing so, they should recognise that heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource and conserve them in a manner appropriate to their significance (NPPF, paragraph 126).
This document has been prepared by Steven Membery, Senior Historic Environment
Officer, Historic Environment Service, Somerset County Council, 9 January 2014.
1 Aims ....................................................................................................................... 2
2 Yeovil ..................................................................................................................... 2
2.1
Archaeological Potential ............................................................................... 2
2.2
Current Setting of Roman Villa ...................................................................... 2
2.3
Impact Assessment on the monuments setting ............................................... 3
3 Ilminster ................................................................................................................ 3
3.1
Archaeological Potential ............................................................................... 3
4 Wincanton ............................................................................................................. 3
4.1
Archaeological Potential ............................................................................... 3
5 Recommendations ................................................................................................ 4
6 Required Archaeological Assessment and Mitigation ...................................... 5
6.1
Desk Based Assessment .................................................................................. 5
6.2
Geophysical Survey ........................................................................................ 5
6.3
Trial Trench Evaluation ................................................................................. 5
6.4
Mitigation ....................................................................................................... 6
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The aim of this document is:

To ensure that heritage assets are identified, their significance is understood and that appropriate measures are adopted to protect assets.

To ensure that potential enhancements are identified.
2.1
Archaeological Potential
Both proposal areas have potential for buried remains relating to past human activities.
2.1.1 Mudford
Archaeological evaluation and continuing excavations in advance of construction of the Wyndham Park development have revealed extensive and significant remains relating to prehistoric and Roman settlement and funerary practices. It is very likely that the buried archaeological remains continue into the potential Local Plan allocation area.
2.1.2 Coker
The proposal area has high potential for buried archaeological remains dating from the prehistoric through to WWII. Known sites include a ring ditch (identified through aerial photography and most likely representing a Bronze Age barrow) and WWII barrage balloon sites. The proposal area is adjacent to the Scheduled Monument
Roman Villa north of Dunnock’s Lane (English Heritage List Entry Number
1003029).
2.2
Current Setting of Roman Villa
The villa site is on the west side slope of a re-entrant valley and is currently divided into three fields all under pasture. It is bounded to the north by a mixed boundary
(laylandii, etc) which forms the boundary of a domestic garden and a field. The western boundary is a hedgerow and a rural road (lane). To the south is a bridleway formed by a shallow “hollow way” with hedgerows on both sides. The eastern boundary is formed by a small copse with a stream running north–south, which joins the bridleway at the south-east corner of the site. Views out from the Scheduled
Monument are therefore constrained by the topography and by adjacent hedges and boundaries.
English Heritage Conservation Principles define the setting of a heritage asset according to four main criteria:
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Evidential value : the potential of a place to yield evidence about past human activity.
Historical value : the ways in which past people, events and aspects of life can be connected through a place to the present – it tends to be illustrative or associative.
Aesthetic value : the ways in which people draw sensory and intellectual stimulation from a place.
Communal value : the meanings of a place for the people who relate to it, or for whom it figures in their collective experience or memory.
In these terms the villa’s immediate environs are within a post-enclosure field system with no apparent evidence of surviving landscape features associated with the Roman period but with the potential for further (buried) evidence associated with the villa.
The historical value of the villa’s setting is limited to the physical remains (buildings, artefacts and ecofacts). Its aesthetic and community value are largely limited to its rural character.
2.3
Impact Assessment on the monuments setting
The villa site is sensitive to impact by development but due to its landscape setting an appropriate mitigation could be applied. No development should take place in its immediate environs but landscaping and enhancement of the immediate setting could promote a positive use of the site through land management and community engagement.
3.1
Archaeological Potential
The proposal area is characterised by two landscapes, recently enclosed land (18th–
21st century) to the north and anciently enclosed land (pre–17th century) in the south.
The area lies within a medieval deer park, which went out of use in the 17th century, but little evidence of boundaries (such as the pale) survive except partially at its northern extent. There are also earthworks, which may relate to a golf course or use of part of the area as a WWII camp, near Coldharbour Farm. Recent archaeological investigations in the area have shown that there is evidence of Bronze Age activity to the north-west of the proposal area and limited Roman period remains at Canal Way.
Therefore there is potential for further prehistoric and Roman period heritage assets within the proposal area.
4.1
Archaeological Potential
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The proposal area is characterised by recently enclosed land (17th – 18th century). A roman villa is located at New Barns Farm so there is potential for assets related to the villa and possible earlier Iron Age activity within the proposal area.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NFFP) states:
“When considering the impact of a proposed development on the significance of a designated heritage asset, great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation.
The more important the asset, the greater the weight should be. Significance can be harmed or lost through alteration or destruction of the heritage asset or development within its setting. As heritage assets are irreplaceable, any harm or loss should require clear and convincing justification. Substantial harm to or loss of a grade II listed building, park or garden should be exceptional. Substantial harm to or loss of designated heritage assets of the highest significance, notably scheduled monuments, protected wreck sites, battlefields, grade I and II* listed buildings, grade I and II* registered parks and gardens, and World Heritage Sites, should be wholly exceptional.” (NPPF, paragraph 132).
In accordance with NPPF policy the following recommendations are made:

Specific to the Yeovil proposal at Coker, the area surrounding the Dunnock’s
Lane villa site should be central to a larger green open-space landscaping scheme to ensure minimal impact on the villa’s setting and to release the potential for enhancements and management of the significant buried remains.
Such mitigation could also enhance the heritage asset’s setting by improving its community value.

All proposal sites (Coker, Mudford, Ilminster and Wincanton) should be fully archaeologically assessed as part of a master plan stage, and the result used to inform mitigation measures. This assessment must take place prior to any planning applications being determined and/or any master plans agreed (see further 6 below).

Master plans and/or associated planning applications must contain a detailed archaeological mitigation strategy that fully describes the level and nature of archaeological investigation. This strategy must be agreed with SSDC and the
SCC Historic Environment Service.

On appropriate proposal sites, community engagement programmes should accompany the archaeological investigations. These programmes should involve the local community, local schools and the wider community through organised activities (such as site open days, school projects) and the dissemination of the results through, for example, social media.
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The proposal areas have high potential for buried archaeological remains dating from the prehistoric through the Romano-British period, including Bronze Age funerary practices and Iron Age/Roman settlement, and also WWII features.
The National Planning Policy Framework states:
"In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. As a minimum the relevant historic environment record should have been consulted and the heritage assets assessed using appropriate expertise where necessary. Where a site on which development is proposed includes or has the potential to include heritage assets with archaeological interest, local planning authorities should require developers to submit an appropriate desk-based assessment and, where necessary, a field evaluation" (NPPF, paragraph 128).
Any detailed planning proposal should fully assess the archaeological potential and produce sufficient information on heritage assets to understand their significance. This will involve a staged series of assessments, as further described below.
6.1
Desk Based Assessment
This will consist of thorough research into all existing information without the requirement for any fieldwork. The Institute of Field Archaeology (2008b) defines archaeological desk-based assessment as:
“... an assessment of the known or potential archaeological resource within a specified area or site on land or underwater, consisting of a collation of existing written and graphic information in order to identify the likely character, extent, quality and worth of the known or potential archaeological resource in a local, regional, national or international context as appropriate.”
6.2
Geophysical Survey
Geophysicists use a number of techniques to understand ground conditions and predict buried archaeological remains. These techniques are particularly useful on rural sites where archaeological remains such as ditches and walls survive in areas currently under the plough or in pasture fields. Geophysical surveys are less useful in urban contexts although Ground Penetrating Radar can provide useful information.
All surveys should conform to English Heritage’s guidance note Geophysical Survey in Archaeological Field Evaluation (2008).
6.3
Trial Trench Evaluation
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This technique involves the excavation of trenches in order to examine archaeological remains on the proposal site. Information from the investigation is used to determine the physical impact the proposal will have on the buried remains and inform a mitigation strategy. Evidence from the trial trenches will inform the requirements for appropriate archaeological investigation prior to, or during, development.
6.4
Mitigation
Where heritage assets of demonstrable significance to designated assets are likely to be impacted, foundation schemes and service trenches can be redesigned to preserve the remains in-situ (dependant on the condition and vulnerability of the archaeological remains).
A mitigation strategy should be designed that details the level and nature of further archaeological excavations and investigations. This strategy should be explicit in its aims and address all appropriate research questions as outlined in the South West
Archaeological Research Framework (Webster 2008).
An outreach programme should take place to inform the local and wider community of the results of archaeological investigations in order to ensure as wide an audience as possible. This programme should involve local schools and members of the public through, for example,events, activities and the use of social media.
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