Since 1990 the protection and recording of archaeology has
followed central government guidelines, initially set out in
Planning Policy Guidance 16, Archaeology and Planning and Planning
Policy Guidance 15, Planning and the Historic Environment. In March
2010 the government replaced these Guidances with
Planning Policy Statement 5, Planning for the Historic
Environment, which has supporting
advice by English Heritage.
Early consultation
Applicants should be aware that archaeological investigations can
have considerable time and cost implications. You are strongly
advised to contact us at the earliest opportunity to discuss
the potential implications of any proposed development, preferably
before submitting a planning application. Early consultation will
ensure that any necessary archaeological work will not create
unexpected problems.
You must supply adequate information with a planning
application if there is a possible impact on a ‘heritage
asset’ – which could be a built structure, a ruin, below-ground
features or deposits, earthworks or other historic landscape
features. A supporting Heritage Statement can simply summarise
and interpret the available evidence from the
Historic Environment Record, but a large development or a
particularly sensitive location may need to include the results of
archaeological survey or evaluation work. Where there is
insufficient information on an area to make a planning
recommendation, we may request archaeological
evaluation before the application is determined.
Archaeological
Conditions
We are consulted by the District Council Planning authorities about
all applications that affect the area of a known site. We
also check applications in areas of high archaeological
potential such as river valleys and village centres and large
developments.
We will recommend one of the following to
the District Council Planning authority:
- No objection, i.e. consent can be granted as there will be
little or no damage to any heritage asset;
- Consent can be granted with a condition such as:
“No development shall take place within the area indicated [the
whole site] until the applicant or their agents or successors in
title has secured the implementation of a programme of
archaeological work in accordance with a written scheme of
investigation which has been submitted by the applicant and
approved in writing by the local planning authority.”
- Refusal of consent (this would usually only apply to nationally
important sites or where there was inadequate information with the
planning application).
Archaeological
works
The Conservation Team will, on request, specify exactly what
archaeological works will be necessary to satisfy an archaeological
condition. The applicant/developer can then use this
specification to get a quotation from an archaeological contractor
and appoint them to carry out the work.
Archaeological contractors must be approved by the Conservation
Team as competent to undertake the work. The County Council has a
contract archaeological field team who can be contacted
here.
A list of registered archaeological organisations is maintained by
the
Institute for Archaeologists.
During the course of the works we will monitor the work of the
archaeological contractor to ensure that the specified work is
carried out in full and to the required standard. Once the work
is complete and your contractor has provided a
satisfactory report we will inform the Local Planning
Authority that the condition can be discharged.
Archive guidelines
Information about requirements for archaeological archive
deposition in Suffolk is available in this document (MS Word, 55kb)
:
SCCAS Archive Guidelines
Contact details
Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service
Conservation Team
9-10 Churchyard
Shire Hall
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
IP33 2AR
Telephone or Fax: 01284 352443
Email:
archaeology@suffolk.gov.uk