2006, Wessex Archaeology, Thanet Offshore Wind Farm, Archaeological Assessment

Description

This project details the work of Wessex Archaeology at the Thanet Offshore Wind Farm site. Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Thanet Offshore Wind Ltd to prepare a desk-based assessment of the potential impact on archaeological remains from a proposed wind farm development off the North East Kent Coast.  The site lies approximately 10-12km north east of North Foreland, approximately centered on 56985000 N 405000 E (WGS84 UTM zone31N).  In order to assess the potential for archaeological remains from the proposed development areas, information has been collated from two areas:

- a Marine Study Area (MSA), incorporating the proposed wind farm and export cable routes;
- a Coastal Study Area (CSA), providing a coastal archaeological context for the landfall and onshore connection.

A variety of sources have been examined, including the National Monuments Record, the Kent Sites and Monuments Record, the UK Hydrographic Office and marine geophysical data.  In addition a variety of topographic, sea level, historical and archaeological data has been studied to assess the known and potential archaeological resource within the development area.

The archaeological potential may be defined as follows:

- submerged palaeo-landscapes or derived artifacts within the MSA;
- wrecks and related maritime remains within the MSA including the intertidal zone of Pegwell Bay and the former course of the Wantsum Channel;
-in situ sites and/or findspots within the CSA.

This report describes the potential archaeological resource may be impacted by the wind farm and cable route development including submerged landscapes, terrestrial archaeology and maritime sites (shipping losses) and outlines the policy and legal framework affecting archaeological sites and wrecks in the UK.

An appraisal of the likely impacts has been carried out and recommendations regarding monitoring and mitigation are given.  A Written Scheme of Investigation if proposed to include further recommendations for measures to further clarify the potential of as yet unknown sites that may be affected by the development.