Pipelines & Utilities

The Archaeology Service examines all pipeline and utility applications submitted to Aberdeenshire, Moray and Angus councils.

New pipelines, overhead electrical line refurbishments and other similar utility works are considered under the same guidelines as normal planning applications. Should proposed works be considered a threat to known or potential archaeological sites (for instance cropmarks of an unenclosed settlement) then a Brief on mitigation procedures will be written by the Service.

Depending on the significance of the sites the mitigation will vary between a watching brief to full excavation. The developer is obliged to pay for any work undertaken to record the archaeology affected.

The Archaeology Policy which covers pipeline and utility work in the Local Plan is Policy Env\19.

This policy has been formed from National Planning and Policy Guidelines, the full text of which can be found at:

• NPPG 5 Archaeology and Planning
• NPPG 18 Planning and the Historic Environment

More detailed advice on planning procedures and the separate controls over Scheduled Monuments is given in the associated Planning Advice Note 42 Archaeology - the Planning Process and Scheduled Monument Procedures.