Local Plan archaeology reviews

As part of the Local Plan allocation process, archaeological reviews of potential sites have been carried out to check how suitable they are for development. Wessex Archaeology have carried out the reviews, in consultation with our archaeological advisors South Yorkshire archaeology service.

You can read the Wessex Archaeology reports by selecting a site on the map below. Each report contains an explanation of the methodology used, as well as background information for the individual site.

Following the adoption of the Local Plan in January 2019 sites has been given a new reference; you can view the pre-adoption site references.

Local Plan - Wessex archaeological scoping study areas map

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Site classifications

Each site has been classified according to its identified archaeological interest and the archaeological objections to its allocation in the local plan being either:

  • major
  • potential
  • uncertain
  • little or none

Major and potential archaeological objections

Sites with major and potential archaeological objections to allocation need more evaluation to decide the capacity of the site for the proposed level of development. This evaluation needs to be done before the submission of any planning application. The results will help establish the significance and condition of archaeology present, allowing the proposed scheme to be designed accordingly.

When a planning application is submitted it will be supported by a heritage statement that includes the design strategy adopted to reduce archaeological impact, based on the evaluation results.

Uncertain archaeological objections

Sites in the uncertain category also need more archaeological evaluation to establish the presence or absence, significance and condition of any archaeology that may be there.

The evaluation should be started before the submission of a planning application. Applications can then be supported by a heritage statement that discusses the results of the evaluation and the impact of the proposed development on any identified archaeological evidence.

Little or no archaeological objections

Sites in the little or no objections category are not expected to need archaeological evaluation unless additional evidence has been found.

Although a formal heritage statement may not be needed, any planning application should reference the relevant scoping review report.

Find out more about the Wessex archaeology scoping study.