19th February 2006, 01:26 PM
I presume that some of the curators that contribute to BAJR can confirm that they are aware of the guidelines given in PPG15 and 16 and the various other applicable aspects of planning law. I have always imagined that they consider each case on its merits and decide on their recommendations appropriately.
Of course preservation insitu is nothing of the kind: there is no preservation at all. The remains are (at best) simply left where they are, which is not preservation. More probably they will suffer from alterations in the water table, piles, services, construction traffic dynamic loads and so on. It is difficult and expensive to make a building fly, so it will penetrate the ground at more points than you imagine. Basement levels and so on are also often desirable, especially in urban sites. Of cpourse, as a commercial archaeologist you will only be involved in cases where excavation is involved, and by definition not when preservation is required. I do not know whether you regularly scour all English and Welsh planning decision notices to examine the conditions attached thereto of course.
I am intrigued to learn that glass floors are cheaper than other forms of suspended ground floor, although I am not sure what one is supposed to be viewing if the "archaeology" is "preserved" insitu. How I wonder is the ground floor to be insulated? How are the services accomodated? How is the floor supported if not by the same means as any other suspended floor? Is a glass floor appropriate for all types of building? It might be rather strange in some buildings.
It might also be worth considering that development is not necessarily a evil and wicked thing. We all like to live in houses, use (directly or inddirectly) schools, offices, hospitals, leisure buildings, storage and distribution buildings, roads, railways and pipelines. Personally I find then so much more comfortable than the open air on all but the most pleasant and sunny days. BUt if we only ever built on hitherto unused ground, I suspect we would have run out of surface a long tinme ago.
I certainly agree that the system is far from perfect, and the fact that I am on here indicates ny interest in and concern for heritage, archaeology and the past. However I don't think that blind ranting and swiping at other, even if related, industries and professions is terribly constructive. Dare I also whisper that there are actually matters other than archaeology to be taken into consideration in the world?
We owe the dead nothing but the truth.
Of course preservation insitu is nothing of the kind: there is no preservation at all. The remains are (at best) simply left where they are, which is not preservation. More probably they will suffer from alterations in the water table, piles, services, construction traffic dynamic loads and so on. It is difficult and expensive to make a building fly, so it will penetrate the ground at more points than you imagine. Basement levels and so on are also often desirable, especially in urban sites. Of cpourse, as a commercial archaeologist you will only be involved in cases where excavation is involved, and by definition not when preservation is required. I do not know whether you regularly scour all English and Welsh planning decision notices to examine the conditions attached thereto of course.
I am intrigued to learn that glass floors are cheaper than other forms of suspended ground floor, although I am not sure what one is supposed to be viewing if the "archaeology" is "preserved" insitu. How I wonder is the ground floor to be insulated? How are the services accomodated? How is the floor supported if not by the same means as any other suspended floor? Is a glass floor appropriate for all types of building? It might be rather strange in some buildings.
It might also be worth considering that development is not necessarily a evil and wicked thing. We all like to live in houses, use (directly or inddirectly) schools, offices, hospitals, leisure buildings, storage and distribution buildings, roads, railways and pipelines. Personally I find then so much more comfortable than the open air on all but the most pleasant and sunny days. BUt if we only ever built on hitherto unused ground, I suspect we would have run out of surface a long tinme ago.
I certainly agree that the system is far from perfect, and the fact that I am on here indicates ny interest in and concern for heritage, archaeology and the past. However I don't think that blind ranting and swiping at other, even if related, industries and professions is terribly constructive. Dare I also whisper that there are actually matters other than archaeology to be taken into consideration in the world?
We owe the dead nothing but the truth.