Professional and timely archaeological works as part of the planning process will mitigate risk, can raise social awareness, and, if significant archaeology is uncovered, can even add value to development projects.
This resource provides answers to common questions about archaeology in the planning process and explains how to confidently commission professional archaeologists to conduct the work.

First contact

If you suspect or are unsure if your intended development project might need archaeological work, be it a new construction or a renovation of a historic / listed property, , then it is worth getting in touch with your local archaeological planning officer, who can advise you. You can use our map based system that shows all the archaeological planning officers in the UK connected to the council areas they cover:   Council Archaeology Services – BAJR

If you have already received a notification requiring archaeological works as part of a planning condition, don’t worry, BAJR has you covered with this document:  Archaeology and the Planning Process, a guide for Developers. This guide provides an overview of archaeology within the planning process and is aimed at the small developer or householder, offering a concise, simplified and up-to-date summary of all the key requirements and procedures.

How to find and hire an archaeologist?

You might already know an archaeological contractor, but, if not, you can find some using the BAJR Register of Professional Archaeological Companies (RoPAC), the largest listing of archaeological contractors in the UK. Alternatively, you can also consult the Registered Organisations (ROs) list provided by the Chartered Instituted for Archaeologists (CIfA).

BAJR recommends that you consider perhaps three archaeological contractors to contact to see who will provide the best solution for you.  Cost / Time / Benefits etc.  (Note: that the cheapest price is not always the best criteria to choose a contractor from.)

Worried about archaeology preventing or delaying your project?   Don’t!

 To put you mind at ease, there is only a very small risk of archaeological findings either delaying or preventing your development and the cost is unlikely to be disproportionate to the overall cost of the project. A 2019 survey showed that out of 525,000 planning applications across the UK, only 21,000 were flagged as having potential archaeological implications. Out of these, just 2600 lead to archaeological works and mere 55 developments were subsequently refused, and alterations to the original project design requested. This was largely due to the outstanding character of the uncovered archaeological remains, which had to be preserved in-situ (not to be removed). In surveys related to the construction trade (such as Delays in the Construction Industry: 2022 vs 2016, Cornerstone Research ), Archaeology has never been identified as a reason in causing unnecessary delays. The main reasons for delays in construction are 40% poor planning; 34% lack/delay in information; >10% changes to the specification.

Information from Archaeology in Development Management: its contribution in England, Scotland & Wales, 2019.  Doug Rocks-Macqueen and Ben Lewis, Landward Research Ltd – for The Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers (ALGAO)

This situation thankfully does not happen very frequently but, as with any profession, sometimes problems and disputes can arise. It is recommended that, at first instance, you try to resolve any issues and raise your concerns with the contracted archaeologist, before contacting anyone else. Make sure you have everything in writing, to avoid confusion, and explore options like mediation or arbitration. If needed, consider contacting the Citizens Advice.  However, if the initial outcomes are unsatisfactory, you may need to take legal advice. If you think this might be an issue about unprofessional conduct, you can also report this to CIfA. Please refer to the professional conduct page for more information.  This is where employing archaeologists who are either ROs or MCIfA grade members allows you redress if required, otherwise you will be forced to go down the legal route.