Asda heritage consultancy Southwark

MOLA was commissioned to conduct a rapid risk appraisal for a proposed retail development in Southwark, assessing the impact on the site's buried and above ground heritage.

Knowing the likely conditions the local authority would place on the proposed development enabled the client to move forward aware of potential issues.

A due diligence search found that no designated heritage assets or burial grounds lay within the site or its vicinity. It did however identify the presence of an Archaeological Priority Zone, 50m to the south of the site, on Old Kent Road; the line of a Roman road, and three Conservation Areas in the vicinity. The assessment concluded it unlikely that archaeology would represent a primary risk or principal constraint to future development, although due to the Roman road and the size of the site, noted the likelihood of the Local Authority requesting further investigation in advance of future development. Above ground heritage might only represent a constraint if a particularly tall building was proposed.