Major development & infrastructure
Archaeology for major development and infrastructure
Large commercial, energy, minerals and infrastructure schemes generate archaeological requirements that are wide rather than deep: multiple landowners, phased access, long corridors and construction programmes that cannot wait for sequential fieldwork.
- Sectors
- Commercial, science, energy, utilities, minerals, transport
- Clients
- Developers, consultants, contractors, procurement teams
- Procurement
- Tendered packages, frameworks, subcontract
- Focus
- Programme certainty at scale
Sectors
Where we work on major schemes
- Commercial & science
- Business parks, laboratory and life-science campuses, industrial and logistics development around Cambridge and along the A14 and A428 corridors.
- Energy
- Solar generation, battery energy storage, grid connections and substation works, including cable route and compound impacts.
- Utilities & infrastructure
- Water, drainage, pipeline and highway schemes where working width and phased land access govern the archaeological programme.
- Minerals & waste
- Quarry extensions and phased extraction, where archaeology is typically delivered in advance of each working phase.
- Institutional & education
- Campus expansion and large public sector schemes on sites with long, complex land-use histories.
Delivery
What major schemes need from an archaeological contractor
On large packages the technical method is rarely the differentiator. Commercial control, resourcing honesty and programme discipline are.
- A resourcing plan that is deliverable, and a straight answer where a programme is not
- Clear pricing structure with stated assumptions, exclusions and variation mechanisms
- Corridor or site-wide assessment before selective evaluation, so spend follows risk
- Coordination with ecology, ground investigation and land access programmes
- Compliance with the principal contractor's CDM, permit and induction regime
- Named site supervision and weekly reporting against an agreed baseline programme
- Agreed unexpected-discovery protocol with a pre-defined instruction route
- Post-excavation, archive and publication obligations priced at the outset
Common questions
Major development archaeology: common questions
How is archaeology handled on a linear or infrastructure scheme?
Linear schemes are assessed corridor-wide, then evaluated selectively where impact and potential coincide. The controlling factors are usually land access, working width and the sequence of construction rather than archaeological complexity, so the archaeological programme has to be built around the access programme.
Do solar and battery storage schemes need archaeological work?
Frequently, yes. Even where pile-driven mounting has a light footprint, cable routes, substations, access tracks and compounds involve real ground disturbance, and authorities commonly require evaluation before determination on greenfield sites. The requirement is usually proportionate if it is argued from evidence.
Can you tender against a client-issued specification?
Yes. We are used to responding to specifications issued by planning consultants, environmental consultants, main contractors and procurement teams, including framework and NEC-based arrangements. Send the specification, the evaluation data and the programme constraints.
How do you interface with a principal contractor?
As a subcontractor working to the site's CDM, induction, permit and reporting regime, with a named supervisor on site, weekly programme reporting, and agreed arrangements for area handover and plant sharing.
Project review
Issuing a tender or specification?
Send the specification, programme and available archaeological data. We will respond with scope, assumptions and a resourcing position — including where we think the specification is unrealistic.