Thornton 2 Waste Technology Park, Thornton, Cleveleys, Lancashire: Archaeological Watching Brief

A planning application (02/05/0997) has been submitted by Waste 2 Resources for the construction of a waste technology park on the former ICI Burn Hall site at Thornton, Lancashire (NGR SD 3334 4437). Part of the proposed development site is known to have been occupied formerly by the medieval Burn Hall, whilst an archaeological evaluation undertaken by OA North in the summer of 2006 identified post-medieval structural remains. Accordingly, Lancashire County Archaeology Service (LCAS) requested that a programme of archaeological monitoring be undertaken during certain groundworks associated with the development. Following submission of a project design to meet LCAS requirements, OA North were commissioned by Waste 2 Resources to undertake the works in October 2007 and June 2008. Overall, within the area that have been subject to monitoring, the watching brief has mitigated the impact of the development upon the cultural heritage resource. However, if future groundworks, as part of this or other development, were to extend beyond the monitored areas, particularly to the north, these are likely to have a serious negative impact upon shallowly-buried archaeological remains associated with the historic settlement focus of Burn Hall Manor/Farm.