SNN109229 - Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment: Swan Street, Northampton

This desk-based assessment considers land at Swan Street, Northampton, comprising a study site approximately 0.195ha in area, which is proposed for development. The study site lies within the south east part of the walled medieval town. The land was predominantly open ground until the nineteenth century when terraced housing and an iron foundry were established on the site. These were demolished piecemeal through the latter part of the twentieth century with recent commercial units and a car park now occupying the site. This desk-based assessment has established that there are no designated heritage assets within the study site. A number of listed buildings are situated in the wider study area surrounding the study site, which also lies adjacent to a conservation area, although these would suffer no physical impact or change to setting sufficient to cause harm to their significance. This assessment found evidence for the likely survival of buried archaeological remains. These are predicted to be of medieval and post-medieval date and while they are unlikely to be of sufficient value and importance to preclude development there is a potential that, if they survive, they would be removed during construction. It is possible that the local authority will require further archaeological evaluation of the study site to inform an application. This report forms the heritage statement required by the NPPF and has identified the known heritage assets, the potential for as yet unknown heritage assets and the effect of the proposed development on those assets. It also forms the initial archaeological assessment required by local authority guidance.