Broadening our horizons: implementing the historic environment strategy for HS2 Phase One

This paper discusses the implementation of the Historic Environment Research and Delivery Strategy (HERDS) for High Speed Two (HS2) Phase One, London to Birmingham. It discusses the question-led approach to the historic environment programme set out in HERDS and considers approaches to both prospection for archaeological remains and selection for further investigation and mitigation. Challenges inherent in the archaeological resource are considered, such as the presence of ‘blank’ areas and less visible forms of archaeology. A focus on a landscape scale context for the consideration of the significance of archaeological remains is emphasised and the potential varying intensities of past activities across different landscape contexts over time is highlighted. The paper argues that decision making for mitigation should move away from a site by site approach and consider the broader context of significance wherever possible, even where a scheme is necessarily divided up into construction assets and across multiple contract boundaries by the needs of the construction programme. The implementation of the Historic Environment Strategy raises a number of key considerations for large scale infrastructure projects and through a question-based approach presents a challenge to the industry for the consideration of significance, spatial context and the consideration of targeted archaeological responses.