PCA Warwick was commissioned to undertake an archaeological evaluation in advance of redevelopment of the site as a motor sports testing area. Factors that had to be incorporated into our methodology included strict security, the narrow public access road, and ecological restrictions, the latter involving fencing and refuges for protected species which were to remain undisturbed. In order to get the distribution of trenches across the site, and to avoid ecological and other constraints, it was necessary to create a narrow, one-way route through the site.

By contrast the interpretation of the archaeological potential of the site was straightforward. A total of six trenches were opened across the area, and all were devoid of evidence of archaeological features. Our work for the client satisfied the planning conditions placed on the development by demonstrating that the landscape had been truncated, probably when the nearby train cutting was excavated in the mid-19th century. A short report was required to satisfy planning conditions.