Archaeological Desk Based Assessment: Boxford STW Low Phosphorous - Temporary Construction Compound Planning Application

A study area of 1km radius from the proposed works has been used for this assessment. The baseline conditions include known designated and non-designated heritage assets within the study area, the historic landscape character of the area and archaeological potential. The historic environment assessment will assess the impacts to significance on the following; " Listed buildings " Non-designated built heritage assets " Archaeological remains of regional and local significance/ value; and " Unknown archaeological remains. There are known remains of prehistoric funerary monuments approximately 150m to the northeast of the PW, located on the higher ground. The proposed works are located on low-lying topography and flat elevation (95m OD) within the base of the Pleistocene river valley, surrounded by steep scarp slopes reaching heights of 115m OD. This landscape would have been attractive to Palaeolithic and Mesolithic mobile communities in search of sustenance. There is low to moderate potential for archaeological and palaeo-environmental remains dating from the Mesolithic, Bronze Age and Romano-British periods within the PW area. This has been inferred by presence of Mesolithic carved wood, Bronze Age and Romano-British field systems recorded across the wider landscape. Any Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Bronze Age and Roman settlement remains would have moderate to high significance, depending on their condition, character and extent. Agricultural remains from the prehistoric and Roman periods will have low archaeological significance.