Sweetbriar BESS, Ulceby, Lincolnshire: Archaeological Evaluation

Evaluation via the excavation of 21 archaeological evaluation trenches In October 2025 Civic Heritage was commissioned by Lightrock Power Limited, via their consultant Stephenson Halliday, to undertake an archaeological evaluation at the proposed site of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Sweetbriar Farm, Ulceby, North Lincolnshire. A planning application has been submitted by Lightrock Power Limited for the construction of a BESS, with Stephenson Halliday Limited providing planning and associated technical services in support of the planning application. Initially a Historic Environment Assessment (Pole and Kelly 2025) was produced by Heritage Archaeology Limited, informed by a geophysical survey (Magnitude Surveys 2025). Following consultation by heritage archaeology with the Historic Environment Officer at North Lincolnshire Council (NLC), it was recommended that a programme of archaeological evaluation proceed determination of the planning application of the Site. The purpose of the fieldwork is to better inform the client and NLC of the archaeological potential of the Site and to allow any archaeological remains which may be impacted by the Proposed Development to be investigated and recorded in a manner appropriate to their significance. The Site lies within an area of known prehistoric, Romano-British, medieval and post-medieval activity and, although no known heritage assets are present within the Site area, there remains the potential for previously unrecorded below ground remains of archaeological significance. The archaeological investigation was carried out between 3rd and 11th November 2025, in accordance with a Project Design produced by Civic Heritage. The evaluation comprised the excavation of twenty one trenches, fifteen measuring 50m by 2m and six measuring 25m by 2m. No features, deposits or structures of archaeological significance were encountered during the evaluation. The only non-natural elements within the evaluation trenches were late 19th/early 20th century land drains and plough scars. For this reason it is recommended that no further archaeological investigation is required.