A major archaeological excavation has started at Newbury Farm on the south-east fringes of Cambridge ahead of the construction of a new housing scheme being delivered by This Land.
The 7.7-hectare Eddeva Park site which sits between Worts Causeway and Babraham Road has been identified as a possible site of a Bronze Age settlement. A team from Oxford Archaeology are carrying out the excavation, focusing on the southern part of the site which, following site investigations, has revealed settlement remains. The work will ensure this historic site is recorded and any artefacts safely recovered and removed.
Supported by Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC), the archaeologist’s work will involve the careful stripping of topsoil off the areas of excavation, which will then be followed by hand excavation to reveal any archaeological features.
On completion of the fieldwork, there will be a programme of post-excavation assessment and analysis of the artefacts and environmental samples which will be recorded and followed by a full publication of the results. The information will be built into a story of the site and archived, and the artefacts will be donated to CCC and made available for public viewing.
“The start of the archaeological dig marks an important milestone for this project,” said David Lewis, Acting CEO of This Land. “It’s important that any historical artefacts are carefully removed and preserved, to ensure we maintain a record of this site prior to the delivery of this new housing scheme.”
Once the dig is completed, This Land will start on site with the construction of infrastructure work in advance of the construction of a community of 230 new homes, which includes affordable housing. The Eddeva Park scheme will include a mix of various size homes, with all dwellings having a low carbon footprint and benefiting from efficient heating systems.
The proposed development is an exciting opportunity to help Cambridge County Council deliver on its Local Plan, as well as meet the Council’s ambition for a greener future with an environment that minimises energy usage and creates new habitats to let wildlife thrive. There will be significant areas of green open space and an extensive network of pedestrian and cycle paths.
The archaeological dig is expected to be completed in April 2022 depending on the findings.