2019:377 - 18-19 Donegall Square East, Belfast, Antrim

It was proposed to develop Nos 18 and 19 Donegall Sq East, and the return to the rear, with works to involve the demolition of the existing return to the rear and on a piled foundations construct a new six-story building. The listed buildings of 18 and 19 will remain largely untouched, with works to them limited to preserving and enhancing the existing fabric.
Testing took place on 25 and 26 September 2019.
This area of south Belfast was largely open undeveloped ground until the 19th century, with the laying out of Donegall Square and the construction of domestic dwellings. It is from this period that Nos 18 and 19 date. Both buildings and the return to the rear are basemented to a depth of some 2.6m below present ground levels.
In order to assess the level of disturbance three hand-dug test pits were opened in the available basement space which revealed natural sleech appearing at approximately the same levels, c. 0.45m below current basement floor levels (57.32m OD). The mixed sleech/clay/red brick deposit was uncovered overlying the sleech in all three trenches and is readily interpreted as a foundation deposit to the overlying basement concrete floor.
The results from the testing strongly suggest that the construction of the basements within the development has effectively removed any traces of significant archaeological deposits in the area, if they ever originally existed.

AHC Ltd 36 Ballywillwill Road, Castlewellan Co Down BT31 9LF