Why an archaeological dig was undertaken at new £177m Globe Road development

The digs were underway at the £177million Get Living development on the corner of Whitehall Road and Globe Road.

Plans to build nearly 800 flats on the former industrial site were approved by council planning chiefs in February.

The large, concreted site is expected to be home to eight buildings, between eight and 23 storeys in height, which will include 783 flats, as well as commercial units.

However, as the site is on part of the former Monk Bridge Iron and Steel Works, archaeological work had to be undertaken, a Get Living spokesman confirmed.

This is because the site is an undesignated heritage asset, as recorded by the West Yorkshire Historic Environment Record (PRN 10149).

A heritage asset is defined by the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework as a building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions.

The objective of the Globe Road survey and excavation was to fully record, analyse and report all archaeological remains within the site (‘preservation by record’) prior to the development of the site.

The results of this work would then be placed in the public domain by depositing it with the West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service (WYAAS).

A Get Living spokesman confirmed that the status of the archaeological investigation has now been agreed and completed by the WYAAS.

The Globe Iron Foundry was established on the site site in 1844, and gave its name to the road.