Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment: Gloucester Security of Supply Scheme, Tewkesbury and the Vale of Avon

In April 2008, ARCUS were commissioned by Severn Trent Water to undertake an archaeological desk-based assessment for a proposed pipeline in the vicinity of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. The assessment was required in association with a planning application for the proposed Gloucester Security of Supply scheme, which would consist of laying a water pipeline from Strensham Water Works in Worcestershire to two alternative sites south of the town of Tewkesbury. After taking into consideration an initial desk-based assessment on three potential routes, one was discarded and further assessment was undertaken for two of the routes (Blue and Red). Red Route is the shortest, being 12km in length, with Blue Route being 17km long. This report forms the second phase of a two-stage assessment. Stage 1 comprised the use of SMR and HER data in conjunction with cartographic research. Stage 2 incorporated this initial assessment with the analysis of aerial photographic data and a walk-over survey of the two routes chosen after Stage 1. The findings from Stage 2 indicate that the proposed scheme will likely impact on a broad range of archaeological remains. A number of sites have been found to be regionally or nationally significant and relate to prehistoric, Romano-British, medieval and post-medieval activity. Based on the results of the assessment, Red Route has the lowest overall potential to disturb significant archaeological remains, although there are other non-archaeological issues which make this route problematic. Blue Route has a higher potential to impact on archaeological remains, but many of these are concentrated in several specific areas along the route. As both routes contain archaeology, further mitigation will be required. If the Blue Route is chosen, potential mitigation could include alterations to the currently proposed route to avoid areas of high archaeological potential. Mitigation is also proposed during the groundworks phase, including programmes of strip and record, as well as watching briefs, depending on the archaeological potential.