Site Event/Activity record ESF15099 - Excavation, St. Peter's Street, Ipswich, (IAS 5203).

Planning permission was granted to Heriot Hotels, on behalf of the Novotel chain, for the construction of a hotel subject to an agreement providing for the prior archaeological excavation of the site (I/717/86) and the ownership of all finds by Ipswich Borough Council. This site, and the Greyfriars Road (island) site (IAS 5204) to the south, were part of the same land parcel prior to the construction of the new stretch of Greyfriars Road through it as part of the ‘Stoke Bridge and Approaches’ road scheme in 1982. The whole of this land parcel was scheduled as an Ancient Monument (Suffolk County No 193). Scheduled Monument Consent for the development was granted by the Secretary of State for the Environment to Heriot Hotels on 30th June 1986. The site was excavated by the Suffolk Archaeological Unit, over a six month period, from September 1986 to February 1987. Site Constraints The hotel buildings were to be located on the east and south road frontages with the area behind left as surface car parking. Excavation was, therefore, restricted to this area fronting St Peter's Street, with later extensions in the south and north-west, and a separate trench to the west of the main area. The requirement to retain public car parking on the west of the site up until a development start meant that it was not possible to excavate the whole footprint of the proposed hotel.