Meetings between representatives of Kilkenny County Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht were held on 27/03/2014, 04/12/2014 and 07/05/2015 to discuss the ongoing preparation of the Framework Plan and the Draft Archaeological Strategy. The comments below should be read in conjunction with the Department’s previous submissions to Kilkenny County Council dated 13/12/2013, 18/11/2014 and 12/03/2015 relating to the Draft Framework Plan and SEA scoping.
Having examined the Draft Masterplan for the Abbey Creative Quarter, including the Draft Archaeological Strategy, please note that the Department concurs with the conclusions and recommendations outlined and wishes to add the following observations and recommendations in relation to archaeology.
An undertaking has been given by the Local Authority to include an evaluation of any potential underwater archaeological impacts within the plan area. The Draft Archaeology Strategy (Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy Ltd.) does not contain a detailed strategy in relation to underwater archaeology. This matter should be addressed in any future revision to the overall Archaeology Strategy to be contained in the Abbey Creative Quarter Masterplan.
An assessment of the findings of all previous archaeological investigative work carried out within and in the vicinity of the plan area has been carried out and included in Section 3 of the Draft Archaeology Strategy. This has led to the identification of a number of “historic character areas” within the Framework Plan area (Section 6.4 Draft Archaeological Strategy). Comprehensive test excavations will be required to ground truth and to supplement the findings of the desk based assessment (as outlined in Section 6.5 Draft Archaeological Strategy). As stated in the report, “as this is an iterative process testing and excavation will inform the final detailed design proposals.” The results of the testing shall inform the finalising of layouts for the proposed development within the overall Masterplan area and should therefore be carried out at as early an opportunity as possible.
It is imperative that the findings and recommendations of the archaeological strategy influence and inform the final design and development layout within the overall Framework Plan area. Having considered this recommendation, the Local Authority has given an undertaking in Section 6 (page 156) of the Draft Archaeological Strategy to carry out archaeological excavation in the Abbey precinct area, testing in the area of St. Francis’ Well and possible towers, testing in the vicinity of Evan’s Tower and to carry out further archaeological assessment (boreholes followed by archaeological testing) within the overall framework plan area in order to inform the ongoing development of the Archaeological Strategy to be incorporated into the final Framework Plan/Masterplan. The Department welcomes this approach but emphasises the necessity to carry out this programme of testing/assessment at the earliest opportunity possible to ensure that the findings inform any final design and layout for development within the overall Framework Plan area. Details of the phasing of the proposed archaeological excavations and programme of archaeological assessment/testing (boreholes/testing etc.) within the overall framework plan area should be outlined in Section 6.9 Phasing (page 170).
As previously recommended, any archaeological strategy adopted as part of the final Framework Plan will need to outline a detailed step-by-step procedure to be followed by prospective individual developers/applicants and design teams when developing sites within the area. A set of archaeological guidelines could be provided to prospective developers/applicants to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to protect the archaeological heritage. Such an approach is recommended to ensure that the archaeological implications and potential cumulative impact of separate developments on the archaeological heritage surviving within the medieval core of Kilkenny City (i.e. the Framework Plan area) is adequately assessed and appropriate mitigatory measures implemented in advance of development as part of the planning framework.
The Draft Archaeology Strategy has acknowledged that “investigations into retaining the existing slab will be required to assess the load bearing capacity and effectiveness from an engineering point of view so the overall approach (i.e. piling construction methods) can be validated.” (Section 6, page 147, Draft Archaeology Strategy). The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has previously recommended and wishes to reiterate that the condition and load bearing capacity of the concrete slab will require assessment as will the nature and extent of archaeological remains surviving below the slab before any method of archaeological mitigation can be suggested and agreed with the relevant authorities. It cannot be assumed that the retention of the concrete slab and piling construction methods is the optimum solution until detailed and site specific archaeological assessments are carried out on each development site within the Framework Plan area. This requirement should also be detailed in any archaeology guidelines prepared for future development within the Masterplan area.
The preservation in-situ of archaeological remains and the application of piling as a construction method within the Abbey Creative Quarter Plan area is discussed in Section 6.3 (pages 146-147) of the Draft Archaeological Strategy. As noted above, this approach cannot be assumed to be the optimum solution to ensure preservation in-situ until site specific archaeological investigation and assessment has been carried out. Furthermore, archaeological assessments should cover issues relating to current and future site conditions (groundwater levels, water quality, soil chemistry, pH levels, redox potential, maintenance and monitoring of site conditions to ensure preservation in- situ, etc.) to ensure that any proposed mitigation strategy will result in the long-term preservation in-situ of archaeological remains where such construction methods are applied. This requirement should also be detailed in any archaeology guidelines prepared for the Masterplan area.
The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht welcomes the proposal that “there will be no basemented structures” developed within the Framework Plan area (Section 6, page 147, Draft Archaeology Strategy).
Section 6.1 of the Draft Archaeological Strategy (Revisioning of the Masterplan Area) states that “work associated with the redevelopment of the plan area has sought to protect the historic character, the monuments, their setting, views and prospects and encourage the creation of new vistas to existing landmarks.” New views to and from National Monuments and significant historical sites and landmarks within the City including St. Canices Cathedral and round tower, Bishops Palace, St Marys Church and graveyard, St. Francis Abbey, Tholsel, Kilkenny Castle, City defences, historical bridges, etc. will potentially be opened up and the protection and enhancement of this intervisibility should be a critical element of any landscape assessment.