2025:621 - Woodland Substation, Meath

Planning permission for the Extension and Upgrade of the Substation at Woodland, Co. Meath,was granted by Meath Co. Council, subject to a number of conditions, none of which related directly to Archaeological Heritage. However, Condition 1 stated that “the development shall be constructed in accordance with the plans and particulars lodged with the Planning Authority.” The development was the subject of a non-intrusive Cultural Heritage Assessment, prepared by Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) and included in the Planning and Environmental Considerations Report that accompanied the Planning Application. Such Assessment recommended that a programme of pre-development archaeological testing be undertaken.

There are no previously recorded monuments located within the development area and no surface traces of archaeological potential within such area were identified by research and programmes of fieldwork/surface reconnaissance surveys. There are two Recorded Monuments located within 200m of the subject planning boundary; a Moated Site (SMR No: ME044-016) and a Ringfort-rath (SMR No: ME044-017), both in the townland of Creemore; the associated Archaeological Zones of Notification are at distances of 145m and 190m, respectively, from the nearest extents of the subject planning boundary.  In addition, a Geophysical Survey undertaken by Target Geophysics (Licence No: 22R0077)  of the lands to the immediate north detected a number of anomalies of archaeological potential; three of these – termed AH-3, AH-4 and AH-5 – are located at distances of 139m, 11m and 61m, respectively, outside the nearest extent of the subject planning boundary; none have any surface expressions. Furthermore, archaeological monitoring of works relating to the East-West Interconnector Project (EWIP), undertaken by Byrne Mullins & Associated in 2010-11 (Licence No: 10E0155; Excavations Ref: 2011:470), uncovered a subcircular pit, of Iron Age date and of probable industrial function, and a medieval Charcoal Production Pit within the Portan Convertor Station and Substation to the southeast and at distances of 138m and 100m, respectively, outside the subject planning boundary. The EWIP monitoring programme also included the excavation of the Portan Underground Cable linking the Portan Facility to Woodland Substation, a section of which is routed through the subject development area; in addition, monitoring was also undertaken with respect to topsoil stripping associated with the establishment of a temporary storage area in the south-eastern area of the subject planning extent.

The programme of Archaeological Testing involved the excavation of a total of thirty-seven test trenches, the locations of which were largely based on the existing topographical nature of the site, the locations of overhead and underground electrical cables/lines and the development layout. The trenches had differing orientations and were between 15–145m in length.

A number of areas of modern ground disturbance, associated with the construction of the existing substation were uncovered to the south, west, northwest and southeast of the existing substation boundary.

No subsurface features of archaeological interest or potential were uncovered and no artefacts of archaeological/historical interest were recovered.