West Midlands

A Desk-based Assessment was carried out on land at Rocks Green, Ludlow, Shropshire, prior to the proposed construction of a new residential development. The site formed agricultural land dating back to the medieval period, with a small area of medieval ridge and furrow surviving.

A Historic Building Appraisal and a Level 2 Building Survey were undertaken at Clee View barn, Munslow, prior to proposed redevelopment. Clee View barn was of traditional stone-built construction and comprised a two-storey barn and a small cow-house.

An Archaeological Desk-based Assessment and Visual Impact Analysis were carried out for a retrospective planning application relating to a storage unit on Whittington Road, Oswestry. The Visual Impact Assessment concluded that the development had a neutral indirect impact on surrounding Listed Buildings, with a minor adverse impact on a Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

A watching brief was undertaken during groundworks for flood embankment repairs at Maesbrook, Shropshire. The river embankment was seen to be built of homogenous clay in one phase. Advice was given to the groundworks contractor to help minimise damage to adjacent medieval ridge and furrow earthworks.

An archaeological Watching Brief was undertaken at the Cathedral Plaza shopping centre, Worcester, during groundworks for the redevelopment of the shopping centre and car park to a gym, as a condition of planning consent. Residual medieval ceramics of 13th to 15th century date were recovered during the works.

A geophysical survey was undertaken on four areas of land at Oswestry Eastern Approach, Shropshire, prior to the proposed redevelopment of the area. Evidence of significant archaeological features was revealed in one of the areas. This led to the incorporation of mitigation measures in the design layout.

An archaeological evaluation was carried out to examine the potential of land at Western Springs Road, Rugeley, intended for flood alleviation development. Nine evaluation trenches were excavated and an 18th century brick-built culvert and sluice associated with Hagley Hall were found.

An archaeological assessment and site visit of land at Rea Farm, Upton Magna, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, were carried out as part of a larger, multi-disciplinary study, prior to the submission of a planning application. The assessment also involved a geophysical survey and evaluation trenching of the development site. The work determined that the land had a

Specialist recording of 76 worked stone items, the majority originally from Wroxeter Roman Baths, was undertaken in association with an excavation carried out prior to the construction of an extension to a building, previously the local Post Office, located within the area of the schedule Roman town.