6 Cultural Heritage 6.2 Methods 6.3 Baseline Conditions 6.4 Assessment of Impacts 6.5 Mitigation 6.6 Residual Impacts

 

6 Cultural Heritage

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6.1 Introduction

This section provides an assessment of the potential effects associated with the preferred route option for the A68 Pathhead to Tynehead road improvement with respect to cultural heritage using guidance set out in DMRB Volume 11 (Environmental Assessment).

Cultural heritage refers to archaeological remains, Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas, Historic Gardens, Designed Landscapes and other heritage designations. Generally, four categories of archaeological remains are encountered comprising:

• Upstanding remains: built structures such as buildings, field boundaries, and features such as standing stones and stone circles;
• Earthworks: soil-covered remains that can be seen as surface undulations at ground level. These can include ruined buildings or their foundations, banks, mounds, ramparts, ditches, gullies and hollows;
• Buried features: soil-covered remains, which have no visible trace at ground level (possibly revealed by aerial photography); and
• Artefact scatters: scatters of potsherds, flint, tools, metal objects, animal bones, worked stone, mortar or human remains.

Palaeoenvironmental evidence may also be found in association with archaeological remains and this can be used for dating purposes and to provide evidence of past land use or landform change.

The objective of a DMRB Stage 3 cultural heritage assessment is to undertake sufficient investigations to: identify and characterise archaeological constraints; identify the significant archaeological impacts likely to arise from the implementation of the preferred route; and identify mitigation options associated with the route. Historic Scotland generally assess the information gathered during the Stage 1 and 2 desk studies (and any walkover studies) and establishes whether further investigation and/or field survey is required at Stage 3.

Historic Scotland advised at Stage 2 that neither route option would adversely affect known archaeological sites due to minimal land take associated with the proposals. When consulted at Stage 3, Historic Scotland confirmed that no specific mitigation would be required for the scheme.

6.2 Methods

6.2.1 Baseline Methods

Information regarding existing and potential cultural heritage features within the vicinity of the proposed scheme option has been collated through a desk-based review of existing archaeological data and consultation with Historic Scotland and Midlothian Council Archaeology Department.

As part of the Stage 2 assessment, a desk study was undertaken for an area approximately 500m each side of the centre line of the proposed scheme option, and this was updated, where necessary, for the Stage 3 assessment. Cultural heritage features were also identified in a wider area to give contextual information and where it could be possible that the setting of that feature may be affected by the proposed route. The objective of the desk study was to identify the following cultural heritage features:

• Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs);
• National Monuments Record of Scotland (NMRS) sites;
• Listed Buildings;
• Designed Landscapes;
• Conservation Areas; and
• Archaeological Sites of Regional Importance.

6.2.2 Impact Assessment Methods

Impacts are considered in terms of both the site value and the magnitude of impact. The significance of predicted impacts is then determined through a combination of value and magnitude.

Site ValueThe site value, or status, of each site was determined by reference to any designations and by consultation with Historic Scotland as detailed in Table 6.1 below. Adjustments to the above classification were occasionally made where appropriate, based on professional judgement.

Table 6.1. Definition of Site Value for Cultural Heritage.

Status	Designation
International	World Heritage Sites
National	Scheduled Ancient Monuments Listed buildings, Category A
Regional	Archaeological Sites of Regional Interest (ASRIs) Listed Building, Category B
Local	Archaeological Sites of Local Interest (ASLIs) Listed Building, Category C (S)
Negligible	Sites that have been badly damaged or destroyed, or where their historic value is insufficient to justify their inclusion in a higher class.

Additionally, Conservation Areas and Designed Landscapes apply to areas of varying status, from local to national. Levels of importance, based on professional judgement, have been individually assigned where Conservation Areas and historic Designed Landscapes are affected by the proposed route option.

Impact Magnitude

The severity, or magnitude, of impact was assessed independently of the site value. Impacts were assessed both for individual sites and, where groups of buildings or features were affected, as a cumulative impact.

Impacts on sites may be direct (such as damage or severance), or indirect impacts on setting (such as a road in close proximity creating noise or visual impacts on a site). Impacts on the setting of local sites were not considered significant and the setting of local sites was therefore not assessed.

The magnitude of impacts were assigned to one of the following categories listed within Table 6.2.

Table 6.2. Impact Magnitude Criteria for Cultural Heritage.

Criteria	Definition
Very severe, adverse	Complete or nearly complete demolition or loss (of more than approximately 80%) of a site as a result of the road.
Severe, adverse	Partial (between approximately 50% and 80%) demolition or loss of a site, or where there would be complete severance of important parts of a site such as to significantly affect the value of the site.
Moderate, adverse	Loss of part (between approximately 15% and 50%) of a site, major severance, major effects on setting, or substantial increases in noise or disturbance such that the value of a site would be diminished but to a minor degree.
Slight, adverse	Minimal effect on a site (up to 15%) or a medium effect on its setting, or where there would be minor severance, increases in noise, vibration, disturbance or amenity such that there would be no effect on its value.
Negligible, adverse	Very little appreciable effect on a site, a minimal effect on its setting, or for where there are impacts which are not considered relevant to the historic value of a site.
No impact
Negligible, beneficial	Very little appreciable effect on a site, a minimal benefit to its setting, or for where there are impacts which are not considered relevant to the historic value of a site.
Slight, beneficial	Minimal enhancement of a site, a medium beneficial effect on its setting, or where there would be a minor reduction of severance, increases in noise, vibration, disturbance or amenity such that there would be no effect on its value.
Moderate, beneficial	Major reduction of severance, a major beneficial effect on setting, or substantial reductions in noise or disturbance such that the value of a site would be enhanced to a minor degree.

These definitions are based on professional judgement and are necessarily approximate due to the need to address non-tangible issues, such as the relative importance of the specific part of a site to be affected within the context of the overall site.

Impact Significance

The significance of impact (beneficial and adverse) was determined as a combination of the value of the site and the magnitude of impact as shown in Table 6.3.

Table 6.3. Assessment of Significance Criteria for Cultural Heritage.

Site Value	Magnitude of Impact
	Major	Moderate	Slight	Negligible
International	Major	Major	Moderate	Slight
National	Major	Moderate	Slight	Negligible
Regional	Moderate	Slight	Negligible	None
Local	Slight	Negligible	Negligible	None
Negligible	Negligible	None	None	None

6.3 Baseline Conditions

6.3.1 Planning Policy

National Planning Policy Guideline 5 (NPPG5): Archaeology and Planning (Scottish Office, 1994) sets out the role of the planning system in protecting ancient monuments and archaeological sites and landscapes. It states that most of Scotland’s regions have a Sites and Monuments Record (SMR), which is intended to contain a description of all known archaeological sites. This enables an assessment of their significance to be made by the Regional Archaeologist. It provides guidance in relation to sites of national, regional local and other sites as follows:

• Sites of National Importance: SAMs are of national importance and it is important they are preserved in situ within an appropriate setting. Developments which would have an adverse impact on scheduled monuments or on their setting should not be permitted unless there are exceptional circumstances. Not all nationally important sites meriting scheduling are scheduled and Historic Scotland are currently preparing non-statutory registers of those monuments in SMRs likely to be of national importance.
• Sites of Regional and Local Importance: Many sites that do not merit scheduling may nevertheless be of importance in a regional or local context and priority should be given to their preservation within an appropriate setting. In circumstances where a development will damage or alter a site, provision must be made for recording any part of the site which is affected.
• Other Sites: Cases involving archaeological remains of lesser importance and sites where finds have been made in the past but no remains are known, will not always be clear cut. Planning authorities should therefore take particular advice from Regional Archaeologists.

Other Guidance within Scotland includes NPPG 18: Planning and the Historic Environment (Scottish Office, 1999), which outlines the compilation of a register of statutory designations such as Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas and non-statutory designations such as World Heritage Sites, Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes. It also outlines the role of Historic Scotland and Local Authorities and others in the planning process. Further policy advice on archaeological issues is provided within Planning Advice Notes (PAN 42: Archaeology (Scottish Office, 1994) and PAN 71: Conservation Area Management (Scottish Executive, 2004)).

6.3.2 Cultural Heritage Data

Historic Scotland and Midlothian Council were contacted in respect of the provision of the following baseline information:

• Details of sites of archaeological or built heritage value (national, regional or local).
• Details of any Historic Gardens, Designed Landscapes, Listed Buildings or Conservation Areas.
• The potential for unidentified or unrecorded archaeological features or remains.
• Any comments on the proposed scheme.

Information has been provided by Historic Scotland and Midlothian Council, based on records detailed in the National Monuments Record of Scotland (NMRS), which comprises the national collection of material relating to the archaeological and architectural heritage of Scotland, the Midlothian Local Plan (Adopted December 2003) and the Finalised Midlothian Local Plan (Deposit) 2006. In addition the Pastmap website was also utilised.

The following recorded features have been identified within the vicinity of the scheme alignment, the locations of which are shown on Figure 6.1. Details of these sites are provided in Table 6.4 below and in sections 6.3.1 to 6.3.4.

Table 6.4. Recorded Sites of Cultural Heritage Interest.

Site No.	Site Name	National Grid Reference	Type	Significance/ Value
1	Pathhead Roman Camps. Enclosures and pit alignments situated southwest of Pathhead village. Remains of three Roman temporary camps, two prehistoric enclosures and a pit alignment, all represented by cropmarks visible on aerial photographs.	NT 398 625	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
2		Unknown	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
3		Unknown	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
4	Crichton Mains	Unknown	Listed Building C(S)	Local
5	Crichton Mains Prehistoric Souterrain.	NT 400 619	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
6	Longfaugh Fort. Dates back to prehistoric period, located to the west of Longfaugh and southwest of A68.	NT 403 617	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
7	Hope Farmstead, Limekiln.	NT 4095 6268	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
8	Hope Prehistoric Enclosure. Remains of a prehistoric settlement represented by a series of cropmarks visible on aerial photographs. Scheduled area includes visible remains and an area around them where traces of associated activity may survive.	NT 409 624	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
9	Longfaugh Farmhouse	Unknown	Listed Building C(S)	Local
10	Longfaugh Prehistoric Enclosures. Remains of a prehistoric settlement represented by a series of cropmarks visible on aerial photographs. Scheduled area includes visible remains and an area around them where traces of associated activity may survive.	NT 411 618	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
11	Saughland Enclosure. A prehistoric ritual funerary enclosure.	NT 413 612	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
12	Dodridge Law Fort. Remains of a prehistoric fort represented by a series of cropmarks visible on aerial photographs.	NT 419636 NT421636	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
13	Marl Law Wood. Limekiln, lime-workings	NT 4165 6225	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
14	Crichton Dean, Terraced Houses.	NT 4152 6212	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
15	Marldene enclosue, linear cropmarks.	NT 4183 6230	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
16	Saughland Farmhouse.	Unknown	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
17	2 Saughland Farm Cottages and boundary walls.	NT 4164 6111	Listed Building C(S)	Local
18	5 Saughland Farm Cottages and boundary walls.	NT 4163 6110	Listed Building C(S)	Local
19	1 Saughland Farm Cottages and boundary walls.	NT 4162 6108	Listed Building C(S)	Local
20	4 Saughland Farm Cottages and boundary walls.	NT 4161 6108	Listed Building C(S)	Local
21	3 Saughland Farm Cottages and boundary walls.	NT 4161 6108	Listed Building C(S)	Local
22	Crichton Dean linear cropmark.	NT 4188 6197	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
23	Bleak Law pit-alignment, linear cropmarl	NT 423 617	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
24	Bleak Law, Saughland – cists, cinerary urns	NT 424 614	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
25	Saughland Enclosures	NT 425 610	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
26	Bleak Law linear cropmarks	NT 426 612	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
27	Saughland Enclosure. Remains of a prehistoric settlement represented by a series of cropmarks visible on aerial photographs. D-shaped site with maximum diameter of 120m.	NT 426 608	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
28	8 Fala Dam, The Dam House	NT 4286 6156	Listed Building C(S)	Local
29	Fala Dam	Unknown	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
30	12 Fala Dam, White House	NT 4289 6156	Listed Building C(S)	Local
31	Frostineb Enclosure. Remains of a prehistoric settlement represented by a series of cropmarks visible on aerial photographs. D-shaped site with maximum diameter of 120m.	NT 427 604	Scheduled Ancient Monument	National
32	Fala Dam Burn Bridge	NT 4294 6159	Listed Building C(S)	Local
33	10 Fala Dam, Laggan Cottage	Unknown	Listed Building C(S)	Local
34	Fala Dam Brae enclosures (possible)	NT 4290 6123	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
35	14 Fala Dam, Falaburn House	NT 4292 6157	Listed Building C(S)	Local
36	Fala Dam linear cropmarks	NT 4291 6180	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible
37	Fala Mill Roman Temporary Camp	NT 4300 6200	NMRS	Not known - assumed local/negligible

6.3.3 Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs)

SAMs are nationally important sites and monuments that are legally protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. There are around 19,000 entries (covering 35,000 sites) on the ‘schedule’ ranging from prehistoric standing stones and burial mounds, through the many types of medieval site, to the more recent results of human activities such as collieries and wartime pillboxes.

Within the 500m survey boundary the following three SAMs, of national value, were noted (as shown on Figure 6.1):

• Hope Prehistoric Enclosure (Site 8 on Figure 6.1);
• Longfaugh Prehistoric Enclosures (Site 10); and
• Saughland Enclosure (Site 11).

There are six other SAMs in the area.

• Pathhead Roman Camps (Sites 1 to 3);
• Crichton Mains Prehistoric Souterrain (Site 5);
• Longfaugh Fort (Site 6);
• Saughland Enclosure (Sites 11 and 27);
• Dodridge Law Fort (Site 12); and
• Frostineb Enclosure (Site 31).

6.3.4 Historic Designed Landscapes

Often, though not exclusively, large designed gardens and landscapes were formed as a setting for important buildings, or for recreation. Many of the buildings for which these landscapes were formed are afforded statutory protection, and the landscapes themselves are safeguarded through structure/local planning policies.

There are no historic designed landscapes within the study area.

6.3.5 Listed Buildings

Listed buildings are those buildings of special architectural or historic interest that help enrich cultural history. The list of buildings in Scotland is aimed at safeguarding the built heritage and promoting its understanding and is compiled and maintained by Historic Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Ministers, in accordance with the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

The listings are divided into three categories based on different levels of interest or importance. Around 8% of the total are Category A, 60% Category B and 32% Category C(S).

Category A listed buildings are those of national or international importance, either architectural or historic, or particularly good (minimally altered) examples of a specific period, style or building type. Category B refers to buildings of regional or more local importance, or major examples of a particular period, style or building type, which may have been altered. Category C(S) relates to buildings of local importance, lesser examples of any period, style or building type, as originally constructed or altered, and simple, traditional buildings or are part of planned group, such as an estate or industrial complex.

There are no listed buildings within the 500m survey boundary. There are a number of Category C(S) listed buildings, of local value, associated with the villages of Crichton, Longfaugh, Saughland and Fala either on the edge of or out with the survey area (see Figure 6.1).

6.3.6 Unscheduled / Unlisted Sites

Many sites of archaeological interest and value that are not specifically designated on the above listings have been recorded across Scotland. Many of these have been uncovered as the result of aerial surveys, geophysics and through ongoing development planning.

There are ten unscheduled recorded sites within the 500m survey boundary, as identified through consultations and reference to Historic Scotland’s Pastmap website. These sites are recorded on the National Monuments Record of Scotland and are shown on Figure 6.1 and detailed in Table 6.4. There are also a number of other unscheduled sites out with the survey boundary.

6.3.7 Previously Unrecorded Sites/Features

Although no other archaeological sites are known to exist at this time, there is the potential for unrecorded archaeological features within the study area, which may have survived undetected.

6.4 Assessment of Impacts

6.4.1 Potential Impacts

Developments of the nature proposed have the potential to result in both beneficial and adverse impacts on cultural heritage. Potential beneficial impacts may occur as a result of removal of existing constraints on cultural heritage sites for example realignment of the road further away from areas of historic importance or the discovery of new features of interest through the use of sensitive construction techniques. National policy and guidance emphasises the need to take into account the effects of development on both designated and undesignated sites, as well as known and unknown remains.

Potential adverse impacts may result from direct or indirect impacts to a site and can include:

• Demolition/loss, damage or severance – physical loss or damage to identified archaeological sites/features may occur as a result of land take required to accommodate the footprint of the scheme and the temporary access routes/storage compounds;
• Effects on setting – as a result of visual intrusion;
• Increased noise, vibration or disturbance – potential indirect effects may occur as a result of plant and vehicular movements during the construction period and certain activities which could cause damage such as the vibration of construction equipment. This could result in compaction of ground features with potential disturbance/damage to those recorded sites situated close to the road improvements; and
• Loss of amenity.

Such effects apply equally to all road construction activity and ancillary works which cause ground disturbance. This includes construction of the new road carriageway itself, all side roads, tracks and accesses, material storage areas, temporary site accesses, and any landscaping plans beyond the road margins, particularly those involving earthmoving and tree planting.

This chapter relates to permanent impacts upon cultural heritage. There will be other temporary effects on identified features during construction and these are discussed within Chapter 15 (Disruption Due to Construction).

6.4.2 Impact Assessment

In general, the proposed route option entails on-line improvements comprising road widening and the construction of two new junctions and offline alterations to minor roads joining the A68. Due to most of the scheduled features of cultural heritage value within the study corridor being at least 200m in distance from the A68 and the relatively few unscheduled sites recorded, no adverse effects on nationally protected sites are envisaged.

The closest SAM site is the Hope prehistoric enclosure, Site 8, situated to the west of the A68 (NT 409 624). This site will not be directly affected by the proposed scheme and considering that most of the improvements to the A68 are on-line or directly adjacent to the existing road, indirect effects on the setting of this site are not expected, particularly as the scheme is similar in nature to the existing situation.

Sites 24 and 26 may be affected by widening of the A68, although with the land take here being minimal, any impacts are likely to be negligible. Only six figure grid references are available for these sites and therefore their precise location is unknown. Sites 24 and 26 are assumed to be of local / negligible value as they relate to findspots (Site 24) and cropmarks (Site 26). As such these sites are anticipated to be of local / negligible value and their loss to be of no more than slight adverse significance. It is more than likely that these sites can, however, be avoided.

Site 7, Hope farmstead Limekiln, will not be directly affected by the proposed scheme. One of the limekilns associated with this site is located adjacent to an area of woodland that will require removal to make way for a new field access track. However, no particularly vibration-inducing equipment will be used and therefore the structure will not be adversely affected.

Site 14, Crichton Dean Terraced Houses, will not be affected and as no upstanding remains are visible no indirect effects are predicted.

The location of construction site storage compound(s) has not been determined at this stage, but it is assumed that these will be positioned so as not to affect any known cultural heritage features.

There are no means of formal access to any of the sites identified with the vicinity of the proposed scheme and therefore no effects on the public amenity value of features are predicted.

There is potential for unrecorded features to be present within the vicinity of the existing road. These may be disturbed / damaged by road widening and realignment, with potential long-term adverse affects, but new sites may be uncovered, which may be potentially beneficial in the long-term. As the value of any such features cannot be predicted at this stage the magnitude and significance of any impacts cannot be determined. Given the local / negligible significance of those sites / features identified close to the A68, the impacts are not anticipated to be significantly adverse.

6.5 Mitigation

Potential adverse impacts on known features of cultural heritage interest have primarily been avoided by careful scheme alignment so as not to directly impact on the location of known sites of cultural heritage, e.g. the Hope prehistoric enclosure SAM.

Historic Scotland has confirmed that the proposed route option poses no significant issues for the historic environment and therefore specific mitigation measures are not required.

Although, during Stage 3 consultation, Historic Scotland determined that given the small amount of new land take, no archaeological mitigation would be required, it is recommended that (due to the time lapse between consultation and proposed scheme construction) this is confirmed in advance of any site clearance/construction works. Historic Scotland may advise that some form of archaeological field evaluation within areas of new land take be undertaken prior to construction due to the potential for disturbance of unrecorded remains that may have survived undetected.

6.6 Residual Impacts

No significant effects to cultural heritage in relation to the development of the proposed scheme have been identified.

Potential implications relating to the disturbance of unrecorded sites may occur and this will require further consideration in such an event. However, due to the value of sites identified in the area to date, significant effects are thought to be unlikely.