Fenland District Council to relax archaeological planning regulations

[Sith]

In a former life I was a building manager, and I know just how costly these investigations are. Particularly after the site has been criss-crossed with trenches, or site stripped.

Good for him. The thrust of his reply implies that what he really objects to is paying for the post ex reporting. The irony being that that?s where all the self aggrandisement and good PR lies for the friendly developer. Perhaps Eric Pickles should set about him with a rolled up copy of PPS5.

Why not inspect with building control officers. Or is that too simple!

He appears to be yet another person who thinks that anyone can be an archaeologist. Mind you, from personal experience I?ve always wondered how difficult can it be to be a planning inspector. Maybe they?ll let archaeologists have a go at that to get them off the dole?

It is interesting that the of the comments I have received, only those with vested interests have shown alarm with no compromise.

...as opposed to the ?vested interest? he represented in his address: the good developers of Cambridgeshire.

As I matter of interest, I am going to commission a survey of all digs over a period of years, and just find out how many have yielded anything of interest.

Who is he planning to commission, his own HER (soon to be ex-HER if there?s nothing for them to deal with from the development sector); and can he define what he means by 'Interest'?

I also intend to make my comments available to the Minister.

Perhaps he can explain how he?ll square this with local, regional and national policy on heritage while he?s at it.