25th October 2012, 03:24 PM
You might use a watching brief on a site that is protected (either through listing-scheduling or being managed by a heritage agency) when necessary remedial work has to be done ie replacing Victorian drains, puting in new fence alignments etc. The damage is minimal but the hole gives you a key hole view into the underlying stratigraphy.
Otherwise I am in total agreement evalutation-excavation is best, watching briefs are a disasterous way of applying mitigation and I have indeed, as Dinosuar has commented, in my time been told " Watch and make it brief" not totally tongue in check either.
Otherwise I am in total agreement evalutation-excavation is best, watching briefs are a disasterous way of applying mitigation and I have indeed, as Dinosuar has commented, in my time been told " Watch and make it brief" not totally tongue in check either.