Archaeological fieldwork within the planning system.

Oxfordshire County Council Archaeological Service charges 2024/25

Desk-based assessment

Such assessments will need to be undertaken in line with the Chartered Institute for Archaeology’s standards and guidance for archaeological desk-based assessments. This will include the need for a written scheme of investigation to be submitted and agreed (paragraph 3.2.1).

This written scheme will need to be based on our Desk-based assessment guidance document (pdf format, 118 KB)

Geophysical Survey

Geophysical Survey’s will also need to be undertake in line with the Chartered Institute for Archaeology’s Standard and guidance for geophysical survey Including the submission and agreement of a written specification (paragraph 3.2.5). 

This written scheme will need to be based on our Geophysical survey guidance document.(pdf format, 63 KB)

Archaeological Field Evaluation in advance of the determination of an application. 

Archaeological evaluation will usually consist of a 4% sample of he overall redline area of a proposal. Where a successful geophysical survey has been undertaken this may be reduced to a 2% ‘targeted’ sample. This would need to be discussed and agreed with the archaeological advisor in advance of the submission of a WSI however. 

Small developments or those with very specific impacts may not be suitable for such area-based evaluations however and this would need to be discussed with the archaeological advisor. 

In all cases the archaeological evaluation fieldwork must be undertaken in line with the Chartered Institute for Archaeology’s Standards and guidance for archaeological field evaluation including the submission and agreement of a written scheme of investigation (or project design), (paragraph 2.4). Such written schemes will also need to conform to our Archaeological Evaluation Guidance Document (pdf format, 212 KB). Specific site briefs can be provided on request which will set out the specific details of any evaluation and there is no charge for supplying these briefs. 

Watching brief

Watching briefs in Oxfordshire should be maintained permanently on any intrusive groundworks associated with a development unless otherwise agreed with the archaeological advisor. A written scheme of investigation will need to be agreed for any works and in most cases this scheme, once agreed, will need to be formally submitted to discharge any pre-commencement planning conditions in advance of any works commencing. 

Any watching brief would need to be undertaken in line with the Chartered Institute for Archaeology’s Standards and guidance for archaeological monitoring and recording. Such written schemes will also need to conform to our Archaeological watching brief guidance document (pdf format, 134 KB). Specific site briefs can be provided on request which will set out the specific details of the watching brief and there is no charge for supplying these briefs.

Staged programme of evaluation and mitigation

Where conditions have been attached for a programme of evaluation and mitigation then an overarching written scheme will need to be produced for planning purposes. 

This scheme will need to set out the geophysical and evaluation phases of the staged programme in detail and contain the general principles of any mitigation that may be required following the results of these earlier phases. The overarching WSI will need to set out that individual schemes will need to be agreed for each phase of work. This document, once agreed, will need to be submitted to the local planning authority to formally discharge the pre-commencement condition in advance of any works being undertaken.

These documents will need to be undertake in line with the relevant Chartered Institute for Archaeology’s standards and guidance for each phase which can be found on their website. 

The overarching WSI will also need to be based on our Overarching Programme of Archaeological Investigation Guidance Document (pdf format, 168 KB).

Recording Action

Where conditions have been attached for a programme of archaeological mitigation this will need to be undertaken in line with the Chartered Institute for Archaeology’s Standards and guidance for archaeological excavation. A written scheme of investigation will need to be agreed for any works and in most cases this scheme, once agreed, will need to be formally submitted to discharge any pre-commencement planning conditions in advance of any works commencing. 

The excavation WSI will also need to be based on our Archaeological recording action guidance document (pdf format, 182 KB).