Heritage Management
We believe in delivering bespoke heritage advice and guidance. We provide a range of professional services, backed by our extensive knowledge of the history, archaeology and development regulations of the region. We guide our clients through every step of the process to ensure we deliver quality and high value projects. Our services include:
Heritage Impact Assessment
A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) considers the impact of new a development on historic assets and their setting. A HIA may be required as part of the development process to assess specific impacts on the archaeology or built heritage assets. A HIA consists of a detailed assessment of the potential impact of a proposed development with specific recommendations to mitigate any adverse impacts. The assessment is based on the consultation of the relevant regional heritage authorities, Historic Environment Record (HER) and other sources of archaeological and historic information. A HIA often includes a site visit and the photographic recording of a specific site or building. The report will be based upon nationally recognised criteria for the assessment of heritage assets and their respective settings.
Environmental Impact Assessment
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required to understand the extent to which a large infrastructure or development project may harm or enhance landscape value. An EIA will consider various facets of a landscape, including its historical and archaeological aspect. Typically the EIA will review known archaeological and cultural heritage assets within the site and its environs to establish baseline conditions and propose a suitable methods, such as geophysical survey or trial trenching, to identify the presence of – and potential for – buried archaeological remains that may be affected by the proposals. The results will consider both the direct and indirect impact of the proposed development and whether these effects are likely to be adverse or beneficial.
Historic Landscape Assessment
A Historic Landscape Assessment (HLA) delivers a clear understanding of past land use and landscape evolution to inform proposed development. Landscapes may represent millennia of human activity and are continually changing in response to present need, leaving behind those traces of earlier lives that give the land its special character. A HLA provides a broad indication of known areas of historic or archaeological interest and considers both physical and visual impacts to ensure sensitive areas in the vicinity of suggested development can be rapidly identified and appropriate mitigation proposed. The potential for unrecorded features must also be considered.
Archaeological Desk Based Assessment
An Archaeological Desk Based Assessment (DBA) will specifically assess the potential and significance of the archaeological resource within a site. A primary aim of the assessment is to indicate the likelihood and level of heritage constraints that may arise within the proposed development. Available and relevant information included within the report may include the following: consultation of the local Historic Environment Record (HER); documentary research, site visits; assessment of archaeological assets within the site; recommendations for further work if necessary and appropriate
Conservation Management Plan
A Conservation Management Plan (CMP) is a detailed report prepared to inform a programme of restoration of a historic building. It usually comprises an evidence based description of the current baseline conditions, presenting relevant evidence from historic documents, maps and photographs to aid understanding of the significance of the heritage asset, followed by recommendations for further conservation and repair work where justified and appropriate.