Source/Archive record SCH5419 - Land at Mile House Farm, Leighton , Crewe, Cheshire: Cultural heritage Desk Based Assessment

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by HOW Planning on behalf of Galliford Try Strategic Land and Bloor Homes to carry out an archaeological desk-based assessment of land at Mile House Farm, Leighton, Crewe, Cheshire. The land is to be promoted as the location of a sustainable urban extension for inclusion in the Cheshire East Council’s emerging Core Strategy. Centred on National Grid Reference 368630, 358060 the land is situated on the north-west suburban outskirts of Crewe (hereafter ‘the Site’). The desk-based assessment has been prepared to determine the nature, extent and significance of known and potential heritage assets within the Site and its environs that may be affected by development, in accordance with Policy HE6 of PPS5, Planning for the Historic Environment. Consideration of relevant sources of information relating to the heritage resource within a 1km Study Area indicates that there are no known archaeological sites or monuments within the Site. There is a limited potential for the presence of previously unrecorded archaeological deposits within the Site, however the significance of such remains cannot presently be assessed. The historic landscape character of the Site comprises a mix of fieldscapes of 20th century origins, some with post-medieval and ancient antecedents, with a range of surviving historic landscape features. A number of historic buildings within and adjacent to the Site are un-designated and characterised as later 18th and 19th century farm complexes and workers cottages. The historic landscape character and the historic buildings are significant in so far as they reflect the historic dispersed settlement pattern and modern agricultural development of the Study Area. Overall, the desk-based assessment suggests that there are no overriding heritage constraints or designated heritage assets which would preclude development of the Site as an urban extension. However, identified heritage assets within the Study Area would be sensitive to the changes resulting from a modern mixed-use development on the Site. It is anticipated that impacts on the significance of these assets can be mitigated through design. A programme of archaeological surveys designed to prospect and evaluate the presence and extent of buried archaeological remains is likely to be required in support of any planning application. The scope and nature of further assessment works should be agreed in conjunction with the archaeological advisors at the local planning authority and set out in a Written Scheme of Investigation. Pre-application consultation with the local planning archaeologist is advised at the earliest possible stage.