Site Event/Activity record ECH6274 - AJ - EB line, Ledsham to Chester. Cultural Heritage Assessment

An assessment has been conducted by Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust to determine the potential impacts on the cultural heritage resource which may result from the refurbishment of two existing 132kV overhead powerlines, known as the AJ Line and the EB Line, which run between Ledsham and Chester. The assessment comprised a desk-based study which examined a 250m-wide corridor along the entire length of the scheme. The study has determined that there is the potential for direct impacts on a small number of heritage assets, including a number of historic hedgerows for which formal permissions will be required should removals be unavoidable. Potential impacts have been identified for 11 undesignated assets and an appropriate mitigation strategy has been developed. Mitigation measures have been proposed for each asset where a direct impact is considered possible and these have been based on the underlying assumption that no identified heritage asset, regardless of its category, should be significantly disturbed unless this proves to be wholly unavoidable. The mitigation can be summarised as follows: • AJ21R Watching brief during ground investigations • AJ23 Watching brief during ground investigations • AJ35 No compounds and careful placement of access routes to avoid damage to ridge and furrow • AJ36 No compounds and careful placement of access routes to avoid damage to ridge and furrow • AJ38 No compounds and careful placement of access routes to avoid damage to ridge and furrow • AJ39 No compounds and careful placement of access routes to avoid damage to ridge and furrow • EB12 Watching brief during ground investigations. Careful placement of puller/tensioner etc to avoid damage to heritage assets in surrounding area. • Avoid removals of historic hedgerows