The Voices of the Past — Archaeology of Little Abington Parish

Overview

Little Abington Parish contains some of the most significant prehistoric and Roman-period archaeology in Cambridgeshire. This report documents the known heritage assets within and immediately adjacent to the proposed Grange Farm development site, assessing the harm that construction would cause to nationally designated features.

The proposed development sits across land that has been identified as archaeologically sensitive for over a century. Fieldwork carried out by Oxford Archaeology in 2016 confirmed Iron Age and Romano-British activity across the site, while aerial survey and Historic England records place a Late Neolithic henge monument directly within the proposed boundary — a feature of exceptional regional and national significance.

Key findings

• A Late Neolithic henge monument approximately 65 metres in diameter lies within the development boundary — one of the largest examples of its type in eastern England
• Bronze Age round barrows recorded at Four Went Ways and Grange Farm are visible in aerial photography and listed in the National Monuments Record
• A Scheduled Monument (Historic England Entry 1496546) is designated within the proposed development area, carrying statutory protection under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979
• Iron Age pottery identified by Oxford Archaeology (2016) across multiple test-pit locations confirms continuous occupation of the site through the pre-Roman period
• Roman-period activity is concentrated along the Icknield Way corridor (A11 Roman road), with cropmarks indicating a roadside settlement within 200 metres of the site

Planning conclusion

Under NPPF (2023) paragraph 206, where a proposed development would lead to substantial harm to a designated heritage asset, consent should be refused unless it can be demonstrated that the harm is necessary to achieve substantial public benefits that clearly outweigh that harm. The report concludes that no such case can be made for this proposal.

Local Plan Policy NH/4 (Greater Cambridge Local Plan) requires that development conserves and enhances the historic environment. The proposed development at Grange Farm is assessed as fundamentally incompatible with this policy. The report's conclusion is that this is not a case where "wholly exceptional" circumstances apply — the development should be refused on heritage grounds alone.