2nd September 2006, 10:53 AM
Not so much a naughty developer, but I recall a story heard a few years back.....
...An archaeological unit (nameless for obvious reasons) were asked to undertake an evaluation of an industrial site (lets call it a 'watermill' for conveniences sake), prior to vast amounts of eurocash being pumped into restoring the one surviving, but derelict, brick building and converting it into a visitor centre/heritage centre/museum. At stake was also the potential of several years archaeological work uncovering and interpreting the various industrial structures buried on the site and an ongoing contract role managing the culture/heritage side of the new facility.
Such an 'important' project could not be entrusted to the care of an underling and therefore 'senior' unit manager takes charge of both planning and field work. On the Friday afternoon said manager rings up hire company and arranges for 12 tonner, dumper and drivers to be on site first thing Monday morning.
Come Monday morning, senior manager sets off in plenty of time to arrive at site, but being slightly out of touch (long time since last in the field) fails to appreciate the traffic jam in small local town, the roadworks on A999 and arrives at heritage site approximately 40 minutes late. He notices that both machine and dumper have engines running and impressed with their eagerness, strides across site to show the drivers the locations of the evaluation trenches.
'Sorry I'm late' he says 'I was held up in traffic'.
That's alright' said the machine driver 'We figured you were running late. So we got on with a bit of a start and knocked over that old brick ruin in the corner!!'
Imagine phone call to local conservation officer asking whether there were any other suitable 'heritage' buildings in local area that might serve as alternative to proposed 'watermill' culture centre...
...An archaeological unit (nameless for obvious reasons) were asked to undertake an evaluation of an industrial site (lets call it a 'watermill' for conveniences sake), prior to vast amounts of eurocash being pumped into restoring the one surviving, but derelict, brick building and converting it into a visitor centre/heritage centre/museum. At stake was also the potential of several years archaeological work uncovering and interpreting the various industrial structures buried on the site and an ongoing contract role managing the culture/heritage side of the new facility.
Such an 'important' project could not be entrusted to the care of an underling and therefore 'senior' unit manager takes charge of both planning and field work. On the Friday afternoon said manager rings up hire company and arranges for 12 tonner, dumper and drivers to be on site first thing Monday morning.
Come Monday morning, senior manager sets off in plenty of time to arrive at site, but being slightly out of touch (long time since last in the field) fails to appreciate the traffic jam in small local town, the roadworks on A999 and arrives at heritage site approximately 40 minutes late. He notices that both machine and dumper have engines running and impressed with their eagerness, strides across site to show the drivers the locations of the evaluation trenches.
'Sorry I'm late' he says 'I was held up in traffic'.
That's alright' said the machine driver 'We figured you were running late. So we got on with a bit of a start and knocked over that old brick ruin in the corner!!'
Imagine phone call to local conservation officer asking whether there were any other suitable 'heritage' buildings in local area that might serve as alternative to proposed 'watermill' culture centre...