Tuesday 3 May 2011

News - Excavation calls for homes site (Southwell)

Calls have been made for an archaeological investigation on a site earmarked for housing in case it contains Roman remains. 

A planning application has been submitted for three houses at Platts Orchard, Southwell. It is near the former Church Street site of the Minster School, which contains the remains of a Roman villa.

The plans were approved on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate about three years ago but permission must be renewed because work has not started within the allotted time.

Mr Roger Dobson, of the town council’s planning committee, said Roman remains had been found in the area.

He said: “It is very close to the Roman villa across the road and in 2002 Severn Trent were working on the road just outside Normanton Prebend and discovered the north wing of the villa so we do know the villa buildings go across the road.

“We should insist that if development goes ahead we must have a preliminary investigation because of the proximity to the villa.”

The council will object to the application on the grounds that the site originally had one house and so should be replaced with only one, the increase in traffic on Church Street, and the impact on views.

A letter will also be sent to the district council asking for an archaeological assessment to take place before development starts and for a mitigation strategy to be implemented if remains were discovered.

The district council will decide the application.

For more on this and other stories buy the Southwell Advertiser every Thursday.
 

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