EHG3414 - Updated Desk based assessment - Loch Maree Water Pipeline

In 2008 Jacobs Engineering UK was commissioned by Scottish Water Solutions to carry out a desk-based assessment and walk over survey of the Cultural Heritage resource that may potentially be affected by the construction and insertion of a replacement regional scheme, extending from Loch Maree to Gairloch, Wester Ross (NGR: NG 82940 78113, centred (see EHG2788). The proposed scheme was subsequently put on hold and in autumn 2010 came back on line, with alterations. The majority of the proposed route was remaining as it was initially set out. The main revision focused on the section of main raw water pipe, which ran from Torr a Mhuillir (NGR: NG 86147 79436) southwards to Tollie Bay on Loch Maree (NGR: NG 86983 78098). Instead of extending to Tollie Bay the pipe will run from Torr a Mhuillir, following the A832 where it will join the treated water main which extended from Poolewe treatment works (NGR: NG 85404 79030) over Croft Hill. The assessment recorded a total of eight sites of archaeological and historical interest along the proposed route of the pipe line, mainly of Post Medieval date. The proposed route of the replacement raw water pipe passed through an area which has been used for agricultural purposes. Consequently this area has been assessed as having moderate archaeological potential. It is therefore proposed that archaeological monitoring takes place where groundbreaking works are undertaken within the extents of site 18 and 42. <1>