Building the future and protecting the past

Heritage & Archaeology

Progressive heritage and archaeology solutions

The past informs our future

We’re passionate about understanding and protecting our history, and working with our clients to provide a sustainable future for our heritage.

We provide expert consultancy services across built heritage, archaeology, and landscapes. Whether it’s above or below ground, our expert team delivers heritage support to developers, landowners, planners, architects, and heritage organisations.

“Protecting our history through responsive and innovative solutions”

Our consultants focus on balancing heritage and archaeology responsibilities with the needs of your project. We support you through all stages, from pre-planning consultation to discharging planning conditions, from on-site surveys and archaeological fieldwork to producing project publications and public consultation.

Northern Archaeological Associates are now part of the Ecus family, further strengthening our range of Heritage and Archaeology services.

Our Services

  • Planning

    We balance the needs of our clients with conservation concerns throughout the planning process.

    • We consult with local conservation officers and archaeological planning advisors to develop an in-depth understanding of locations, environments, and stakeholders.
    • We assess the significance of heritage assets and their setting, to assist planning decisions and Environmental Statements.
    • We can address any heritage constraints within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for planning applications.
  • Management and Mitigation

    • We provide Conservation and Heritage Management Plans for historic sites including scheduled monuments, listed buildings, Registered Parks and Gardens, and World Heritage Sites (WHS).
    • We manage all archaeological fieldwork, either at pre-application evaluation or post-determination mitigation stages.
  • Built Heritage

    We offer a full range of historic buildings services including historic building recording, rectified photography, aerial drone survey, 3-D modelling, heritage statements, conservation management plans, and Heritage Lottery Fund applications.

    We also provide advice on listed building consent, scheduled monument consent, and Heritage Lottery Fund grants.

  • Archaeology

    Dealing with archaeological remains is our speciality, and we can provide archaeological services to support development projects of all types and sizes. We can work with you on water pipelines and road schemes, quarry extensions and housing developments. We can also help with single builds, churchyard works, community projects, or minor investigations. Our project management team is experienced in resourcing, planning, execution, and delivery, and our skilled and dedicated excavators work quickly, efficiently, and to professional standards.

    Over the last 30 years we have delivered several key projects including:

    Our services include open area excavation, evaluation trial trenches, monitoring/watching briefs, and ground investigations.

    Our specialist areas include linear infrastructure developments, residential schemes, retail developments, industrial sites, quarries, cemetery excavations, community and training excavations, and confined spaces.

  • Survey

    Geophysics

    Geophysical survey is a rapid, non-intrusive, and cost-effective technique to determine the presence and nature of buried archaeology without the need for excavation. We can help you evaluate any possible archaeological implications for planning development.

    Our services include gradiometer survey, resistance survey, and ground-penetrating radar survey.

    Landscape surveys

    We can carry out a range of land-based archaeological and historical surveys to provide heritage data to inform the management and use of large landscape areas.

    Our services include walkover survey, condition survey, topographic/earthwork survey, LiDAR transcription, aerial drone survey, photographic survey, photogrammetric survey, field walking, and metal detector surveys.

    Our specialist products include illustrated reports, gazetteers, sensitivity plans, waypoints, hachure plans, digital terrain models, GIS databases, video/fly-throughs, and 3-D modelling.

  • Research & Specialist Services

    Reporting and Publication

    Our team of specialists ensure that the results of fieldwork are reported, published and archived to meet your programme. Using the latest on-site digital recording technology the results of fieldwork are uploaded in real-time to our post-excavation team, ensuring that site-reports are produced efficiently and rapidly.

    Environmental Archaeology

    Our large soil sample processing facility allows us to process material from Ecus sites and material sub-contracted from other schemes.  Our environmental team is supported by in-house zooarchaeology and palaeobotany experts.

    Artefacts

    Our specialist finds team analyse and report on the material remains recovered from our projects, and we provide experts in human remains, metalworking debris, coins, medieval and post-medieval pottery, and ceramic building materials.

    Archiving

    To ensure that your planning conditions are fully signed off and the archaeological record is preserved for future generations, our team of archivists ensure that all records and material are deposited with the relevant repository.

    Community

    We provide tailored services to meet all your community project needs, offering hands-on skills training in a range of heritage topics, from excavation and surveying to local history research and interpretation. Our passionate team have years of experience in running inclusive, inspiring, and engaging outreach events.

    We advise on Heritage Lottery Fund grants, other funding opportunities, managing community participation events, and outreach to schools and community groups.

Hertiage Aerial Shot