introduction | protecting threatened species | safeguarding biodiversity | improving water quality | enhancing the landscape | managing the archaeological heritage | restoring land for recreation | reducing neighbourhood noise | blending into the landscape | informing the community | creating nature reserves | conserving geological heritage | reducing environmental impacts

Managing The Archaeological Heritage

BACKGROUND

The ICF is the national trade association for the quarry and concrete products industry in Ireland. The Federation represents over 100 members who operate out of more than 250 sites throughout the country and account for over 90% of the volume and value output of the industry. Federation members employ approximately 15,000 people and have annual revenues of over € 2 billion.

The ICF mission is to identify and supply building materials in the most economical and environmentally friendly manner. The role of the industry is particularly important in relation to the national requirement for cost-effective infrastructure and affordable housing.

ACTION

To facilitate the orderly development of the industry, the ICF agreed a Code of Practice with the Irish Government in 2002. The purpose of this Code is to provide a framework within existing legislation and policies to enable ICF members to continue to supply building materials whilst carrying out appropriate archaeological mitigation.

In essence the code of practice has established a partnership between industry and Government and allowed the industry to have a wider input into the way archaeological work is carried out and has enabled archaeology to be managed on an industry-wide level. The Code of Practice is implemented by the ICF Archaeological Manager whose role is to advise members on archaeology.

The availability of archaeological advice within the industry now allows archaeology to be avoided at the site acquisition stage. ICF members can avail of an inexpensive, rapid and confidential assessment of any lands they may be considering acquiring. Over time this approach will significantly reduce the industry's impact on archaeology.

The policy of assessing any possible or potential archaeological sites either during the Environmental Impact Assessment or before making a planning application has reduced the number of planning objections and has streamlined the planning process for members.

Where archaeology has been identified on previously acquired lands members can avail of advice at the design stage and throughout the development process. Relatively small design alterations have eliminated or reduced impacts as well as attendant planning objections and development costs.

As the Archaeological Manager represents most of the industry it is now possible to take an industry-wide view in relation to archaeology. Where impacts cannot be avoided and archaeological work is required, all archaeological work is now specified to the same standard. Project tendering has been made standard practice and the tendering procedures standardised, reducing the costs of tendering both to the industry and archaeological consultants. This standardisation and accompanying transparency has reduced costs and improved performance and value.

RESULTS

The net effect of the Code of Practice has been to reduce the industry's impact on archaeology and reduce the costs of archaeology to ICF members. Simultaneously planning has been simplified and the industry has avoided the public controversies that have characterised other types of development in Ireland.

introduction | protecting threatened species | safeguarding biodiversity | improving water quality | enhancing the landscape | managing the archaeological heritage | restoring land for recreation | reducing neighbourhood noise | blending into the landscape | informing the community | creating nature reserves | conserving geological heritage | reducing environmental impacts