2024:783 - Nutts Corner, Bondelivery, Crumlin, Antrim

The subject sites are located some 4.5 km northeast of Crumlin, in the townlands of Aughnamullan and Ballykennedy, both of which are in the parish of Killead and the Barony of Massereene Lower. The proposed development consists of the erection a warehouse facility (Site 1) and an associated car park and lorry park (Site 2) and associated works.
Both sites lie within the site of the World War 2 RAF Nutts Corner (DHR0780:000). Due to the possibility of development ground works impacting upon potential buried WWII archaeological features, particularly two Spectacle Dispersal sites (DHR0078:048 and :051) or indeed other unassociated archaeology, a phase of pre-planning archaeological evaluation was proposed. This took place on 25 November 2024.

Site 1: The Warehouse
There were two elements to the evaluation, firstly the exposure of the full extent of the surviving spectacle dispersal site. This revealed that the remains were both well-preserved and extended further than was initially thought. Secondly the testing of the scrubby area to the east revealed that root disturbance had likely destroyed any archaeological deposits in this area, should they have ever existed.
The finished floor levels within the warehouse requires that ground at the eastern, higher, end of the site will have to be reduced, thereby removing the dispersal site. Due to the fact that it is not possible to preserve the site in situ, it is proposed to reflect the extent of the spectacle dispersal by means of different ground finishes, with the plan of the dispersal site picked out using red asphalt, with the edges further defined by flush concrete kerbing.
The test trench across the ground to the east, the area of the warehouse, suggested that root activity had caused significant disturbance and likely destroyed any archaeological deposits in this area, should they have ever existed.

Site 2: Carpark
There were two elements to the evaluation in the area of the proposed carpark. Firstly was the exposure of the full extent of the surviving spectacle dispersal site DHR0078:051. This revealed that the remains were both well-preserved and extended further than was initially thought. Secondly, the testing of the scrubby area to the east revealed that root disturbance had likely destroyed any archaeological deposits in this area, should they have ever existed. Nothing of archaeological interest was noted in the test trench.
The plan of the full surviving extent of the dispersal site DHR0078:051 allowed for a redesign of the proposed drainage regime, which, through a combination of raised formation levels, repositioning of the attenuation tank and re alignment of pipework, means that as much as possible of the dispersal site will not be impacted upon and will be preserved in situ. The site will be buried under the proposed carpark, with the outline of the full extent of the dispersal site delimited on the car park surface with the use of precast concrete flush kerbing.
It is therefore suggested that as the vast majority of the dispersal site will be preserved in situ, with its outline reflected in the final project design, that the development be allowed to proceed within the proposed design parameters.