SDO21100 - Chapel Lane, Parley, Bournemouth, Dorset - Heritage Statement

‘This report presents the results of a heritage assessment that was carried out by South West Archaeology Ltd. (SWARCH) for an energy recovery facility at Chapel Lane, Parley, Bournemouth, Dorset. The site formed a part of East Parley Common until the development of RAF Hurn, later Bournemouth Airport, in 1941. A previous stage of archaeological fieldwork was carried out on the site in 1990, however no archaeological features were identified and much of the site appears to have been subsequently quarried. Additional fieldwork that has been carried out in the local area has encountered limited evidence of human activity, indicating that it was always an area of low agricultural potential that was used extensively and periodically rather than intensively. The archaeological potential of the site would appear to be low to non-existent. The site is located on relatively flat, low-lying land, and at 38m in height the chimney stack for the energy recovery facility is likely to become a feature that will be visible across the wider landscape, particularly to the north and to the west. The structures that are associated with Bournemouth Airport are likely to screen the proposed development from view to the south, and Hurn Forest is likely to screen the proposed development from view to the east. The setting of the three scheduled barrows that are located to the north of the site has been significantly compromised by the development of roads, residential housing, and a large solar farm. The three listed structures that are located within 1km of the proposed site, along with the listed structures that are located further away, are likely to enjoy comprehensive or near comprehensive screening from the site. The chimney stack is an exception to this, however the effect is unlikely to be greater than negligible.’