CP 1227-15 National Mapping Project Hills AONB & East Devon River Catchments

Devon County Council wishes to commission a National Mapping Programme (NMP) survey of the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and East Devon River Catchments. This project is part of an ongoing programme of NMP survey in Devon, grant-aided by Historic England.

Drivers for an NMP project in the Blackdown Hills AONB & East Devon River Catchments are: •Designated Landscapes (Blackdown Hills AONB, East Devon AONB) •Relative lack of detailed archaeological survey. •Land management issues (e.g. catchment scale soil/water management) •Development pressure (e.g. proposed A30/A303 dualling)

The standard products of NMP are a digital archaeological map with linked archaeological descriptions, and a report synthesising the archaeological results. Analysis of the project results should describe the character, significance, diversity, association and distribution of archaeological sites and landscapes, visible on aerial photographs, within the project area.

The project results will also be recorded directly onto Devon and Somerset County Councils’ GIS HER layer. The Devon County HER runs on the Exegesis HBSMR platform and the Somerset HER will be on the HEROS system by the time the project is underway. Devon County Council uses ArcView GIS software.

The project will be based at County Hall, Exeter. Workstations for up to two full time project staff will be provided, including PCs, GIS software and access to the Devon HER and supporting digital records. County Hall smartcards will be provided, which will enable access to the staff carpark for 3 days per week (£1 charge per day and space permitting). Remote access to the Somerset (HEROS) HER will be provided, enabling data input directly from County Hall, Exeter. Should a more intensive staff resource be required or suggested, this can be discussed prior to the submission of tender, however space for more than two staff cannot currently be guaranteed.

The size of the project area and grant will require a project in three phases •Preparation of a full Project Design to Historic England standards. •NMP survey of Project Area1. •NMP survey of Project Area2