SNN114269 - Land at Bickerstaffes Road, Towcester, NN12 6RQ: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, June 2018

This archaeological desk-based assessment considers land at Bickerstaffes Road, Towcester, NN12 6RG. In accordance with government policy (National Planning Policy Framework), this assessment draws together the available archaeological, historic, topographic and land-use information in order to clarify the heritage significance and archaeological potential of the study site. A review of the available evidence has provided clear evidence of complex Roman occupation within the study site. This is evidenced by the discovery of substantive Roman buildings in archaeological investigations immediately to the north and south of the study site. Those investigations also strongly suggest that similar remains extent into the study site. There is also some potential for remains associated with the Civil War in the easternmost part of the study site, although this is more likely to comprise artefactual evidence. Cartographic evidence from the 19th and 20th century show that the study site has not had a history of development other than the construction of the existing small structure and car park. Therefore, it is likely that any remains which may be present will have survived with a low level of truncation, except potentially where the building is which may have destroyed all remains underneath. If well preserved, Roman remains would be of local to regional significance, as they have the potential to contribute to locally important research aims, and may also contribute to more regional questions, for example on the development of the Alchester Road. If remains associated with the Civil War are present, these would be of local significance.The construction of the proposed development would remove any archaeological remains which may be present. However, based on the archaeological remains found in the evaluation works immediately to the north and to the south of the study site, the remains within the study site are not thought to be of such significance that would require their preservation in situ, or that would preclude the development of the study site. They would, however, require a programme of archaeological works to determine their extent and level of preservation, and a programme of mitigation comprising excavation and recording of any significant remains. Therefore, this assessment has determined the likely significance of any buried remains within the study site, which would be local to regional, and the scale of the effect to their significance, which would be their removal by the construction of the proposed development, as is required by paragraph 189 of the NPPF.