Archaeological Desk Based Assessment: St Catherine’s School, Bramley
Desk-Based Assessments (DBAs) are critical to pre-emptive planning of development projects. We undertake hundreds of these a year.
At St Catherine’s, Bramley, map regression, in combination with documentary research, demonstrated that the area of the development site was used as arable lands and pleasure gardens in the early-mid 19th century and has only been subject to confirmed construction since the mid 20th century, when the school was extended. The assessment anticipated that within the boundaries of the development site there was a Moderate Potential for the survival of medieval & post medieval remains and a Low Potential for residual evidence dating to the Earlier Prehistoric.
In consultation with our client, IID Architects and the archaeological advisor for the Local Planning Authority (Waverley Borough Council), AOC Archaeology were able to formulate an investigation strategy comprising a programme of Archaeological Evaluation in advance of any proposed ground reduction works to confirm the nature, extent and survival of any surviving below ground archaeological deposits, establish the need for mitigation and ensure that project risk was fully ascertained at the outset.