Site Event/Activity record ECH6863 - Plot 9, Biomass Renewable Energy Plant, Ince Resource Recovery Park: Letter Report for Archaeological Mitigation (Areas A and D)

Letter report detailing the results of archaeological mitigation works, prepared in partial fulfilment of an archaeological planning condition for the Biomass Renewable Energy Plant, located within Plot 9 of the Ince Resource Recovery Park. The mitigation includes monitoring of the excavation of ponds and scrapes in Areas A and D, which form part of ecological and landscape mitigation works, and to retrieve palaeoenvironmental samples from organic peat deposits known to exist beneath the site, also to identify any archaeological remains potentially preserved within these layers. Cores taken from boreholes sunk by geotechnical engineers as part of ground investigation works for the development identified two layers of peat across the entire site at depths of between 3-6m below ground level (BGL) and 10-11m bgl. The geotechnical boreholes were sub-sampled and analysed by environmental archaeologists, which included taking samples for radiocarbon dating. The peat layers are believed to date from the Mesolithic and Bronze Age periods. Also, the peat identified through geotechnical bore holes was observed during the archaeological watching brief, and the extent of the most shallow deposits mapped. Peat was identified exposed at one location very close to the ground surface in Area A and numerous locations between 0.5–1.5m below the ground surface in Area D. The exposed peat was in all cases the Bronze Age ‘upper peat’. The peat deposits were examined for the presence of either in-situ structures (such as buildings) or artefacts, however, no archaeological remains were identified. (1)