What's required?

When a Local Authority imposes an archaeological condition it will often specify that a project requires a written scheme of investigation (WSI).

This methodology statement includes details of the development site, the planning background, the historical and archaeological background and research aims.  It will set out the methodology for investigation, reporting  and archive requirements and any other site specific requirements  such as public  engagement.

Liaison with the Planning Process

Local Authority planning departments are advised by  expert consultees, which include planning archaeologists.  They will sometimes provide a brief to which a WSI is written in response, whereas others will expect the submission of an appropriate WSI which meets the requirements of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA). 

At Groundworks Archaeology, we forge excellent professional working relationships with planning archaeologists and will always obtain informal approval of a WSI prior to submission.  This ensures that there are no unexpected delays to the discharge of conditions later in the process and often lends itself to a smoother journey for our clients through the planning process.