Event/Activity EPM293 - Archaeological Evaluation Former News Group Printers, London Road, Portsmouth

AOC Archaeology Group carried out an archaeological evaluation at the Former News Group Printers site (News Centre), London Road, Hilsea, in August 2024. The works were commissioned by HCUK Group on behalf of First Group PLC as part of planning conditions for the proposed development of a bus station and parking area at the site. A total of 11 trenches measuring between 5m and 20m long and 1.80m wide were excavated by machine. The majority of the trenches were position along the southern boundary of the site targeting the location of a proposed access road, depot structure and bus parking area. Natural clay deposits with gravel and chalk inclusions were present across the site. Archaeological features comprised seven ditches and one pit. It was thought these features most likely related to post-medieval agricultural activity. Evidence of a possible paleochannel was observed in two trenches along the southern boundary of the site. Evidence of modern activity was present in the form of cut services and made ground deposits utilised as ground raising or levelling events. Although no visible modern truncations were observed no buried soils associated with the previous agricultural use of the land were found indicating that these were removed when the current infrastructure was erected and likely damaging any archaeological remains or deposits.