NOMA Public Realm, Redfern Street, Manchester - Excavation

The Co-operative Group has devised proposals for a scheme of public realm works as part of the NOMA Regeneration in the Shudehill area of central Manchester. The proposals allow for the development of a new public square on Redfern Street (centred at NGR 384175, 398930), together with associated landscaping works. The creation of the new square will necessitate substantial earth-moving works that will reduce the existing ground levels up to a maximum depth of c 3m.
The archaeological potential of the site was highlighted in a desk-based assessment, produced by Oxford Archaeology North in March 2014. This demonstrated that the study area lay on the fringe of the medieval town, and developed rapidly during the late eighteenth century as part of the early industrial expansion of Manchester. The assessment concluded that any surviving buried remains of these heritage assets would be of local significance, and would merit preservation by record. In the light of these conclusions, the Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service recommended that the impact of the development should be mitigated via a programme of archaeological investigation, in line with the advice embodied in the National Planning Policy Framework, Paragraph 128.