A MONMOUTH archaeologist has slammed an archaeological trust that are official advisors to Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) following approval of plans on a sensitive site.

Steve Clarke MBE, a professional Monmouth-based archaeologist, is calling for an investigation into why a multimillion pound housing development beside an internationally recognised prehistoric site should have been given planning consent with no requirement for an archaeologist to be in attendance.

The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT) advised Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) that 70 houses proposed in 2017 for a field next to Parc Glyndwr, - DC/2017/00539 - off Rockfield Road, should be developed without archaeological cover and MCC passed the plans.

The site is part of a wider outline application for 130 houses still under consideration - DC/2016/00870 - to which GGAT initially advised: “After a 2016 desk-based assessment in support of the outline application for 130 houses, on the balance of evidence, we do not consider that there is an archaeological restraint to this proposal” and had no objection to the proposal.”

They felt the evaluation concluded that there was a low potential for archaeological remains and their decision remained unchanged for the later plans which were passed.

Monmouth Archaeology wrote to MCC planning officer Jill Draper in 2016 saying that the field has been shown to be on the site of a post-glacial lake which survived in Monmouth until the late Iron Age and is therefore archaeologically sensitive.

He reminded her that the adjacent field yielded “prolific Stone Age to Iron Age remains dates to 2795BC and preserved timbers were dated back to 1367BC

Clarke has written two books about the archaeology of Parc Glyndwr and these have received positive reviews in three international journals and led to the widespread recognition of the archaeological remains.

The site given the thumbs up by MCC is only separated by a modern hedge from Parc Glyndwr which was on the shores of a post-glacial lake which archaeologists claim to be of international importance. 

Stephen Clarke, MBE said that Monmouth Archaeological Society has spent four years trying to encourage the Trust to change its advice to the council but they will not. Discoveries at Kingswood Gate estate include Bronze Age and Stone Age settlements with buildings on stilts; there are 3,000 to 6,000-year-old domestic structures and 5,000-year-old worked oak timbers which are thought to be parts of a New Stone Age boat.

Mr Clarke says that he is appalled that the Trust can endanger such outstanding archaeology when its duty is to protect the Welsh heritage.

Mr Clarke is calling for an investigation into the affair and into the running of the Trust which is partly funded by the ratepayer. A team of Monmouth archaeologists, who were distributing leaflets protesting at the running of the Trust, were escorted out of a meeting of the Trust at the National Museum of Wales by security officers.

Head of Planning at MCC, Mark Hand said that GGAT is their expert advisor on archaeological matters and confirmed they did not request a watching brief.

“Prior to making our decision, members of a local archaeological group made contact to query GGAT’s advice in the light of the significant and very exciting findings within close proximity. This was discussed at length with GGAT, which has maintained its position,” he added. “Evaluation holes were excavated on site by Headland Archaeology in 2013 and these recovered only fragments of iron slag and a flint flake. GGAT advised that there was no indication that any of the important prehistoric remains at Wonastow Road extend into the Rockfield Road site.

“Further monitoring visits took place at Wonastow Road, attended by GGAT. In addition, a previous report for the Rockfield Road site from 2004 noted no significant discoveries during the watching brief. Despite what has been found in the vicinity, GGAT has confirmed that the evaluation of this particular application area has found no archaeological remains. As a result, an archaeological watching brief condition cannot be justified in accordance with the Welsh Government guidelines."