INVESTIGATIONS into the site of a controversial housing development in Launceston have found archaeological features are not those belonging to a Roman fort or marching camp.

The Post in November reported the suggestions from Historic England for part of the land where permission was granted at appeal for the Hallam Land Management Upper Chapel development of up to 140 dwellings.

Historic England at the time said: “There are few Roman sites in Cornwall, and if this is proven, it would be a rare discovery indeed.”

The public body’s principal inspector of historic buildings and areas, Simon Hickman, sent the comments to Cornwall Council, as Historic England was one of the consultees for the latest reserved matters application for the development on site.

It strongly recommended further investigation before the council made a decision on the planning application.

However, the site was investigated by Historic England at the end of November, and it was found features are likely ‘medieval or post medieval’.

An application for the site to be listed as a scheduled monument has subsequently been withdrawn.

A spokesperson at Historic England said: “The site was visited by Historic England at the end of November for investigatory purposes. Evaluation work was also undertaken by the owners of the land. Together, the research shows that the features are not those belonging to a Roman fort or marching camp, but are likely medieval or post medieval. The applicant has since withdrawn his application for the site to be listed as a scheduled monument, and so we will not be proceeding with this case.”

The part of the site highlighted by Historic England appeared to lie south of Trebursye Road, east of Beechcroft. A spokesperson for Historic England estimated the size of the site it looked at to be about 150m2. Only a part of that site overlapped with the development proposal.

The reserved matters planning application for a mixed-use development to provide 140 dwellings, to include up to 40% affordable, relating to the approved outline permission, is still awaiting decision from Cornwall Council.

The application also seeks approval for open space and landscaping including a local equipped area of play, new vehicular and pedestrian access off Upper Chapel, extension to existing cemetery, car park and associated landscape, parking, engineering (including ground modelling) works, site reclamation (including demolition) and infrastructure.