Pre-Construct Archaeology
Company History & Profile
Strategy
The strategic aim of PCA is to carry out quality, research driven, but cost effective archaeological investigation meeting the twin needs of our clients and our profession. At the same time PCA recognises and seeks to respond to the increasing public awareness and interest in archaeology. PCA desires to expand its area of operation, using its current regional expertise as a firm foundation, and has a strong commitment to the continued development of its staff, management, recording and analysis systems.
History
PCA was founded in September 1993 as a contract archaeology unit working within the market provided by the advent of Planning Policy Guidance 16 (PPG16). Originally operating from both London and Lincolnshire, the company now has its head quarters in London with a regional office in Durham. As well as operating within London PCA has a proven record of work in Northumberland, North Lincolnshire, Durham, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Riding, Teeside, Tyne & Wear, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Norfolk, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Berkshire, South Wales and Belfast. A small project at Plympton in 2003 represents the only work undertaken in Devon to date.
Present
PCA successfully manages heritage issues within development schemes, irrespective of their scale or nature. The company is able to provide a range of professional services in the urban and rural environment including project management, desktop reports, geotechnical, geophysical and total station surveys, assessment, evaluation, area excavation, building surveys, built heritage assessments and publications. Commensurate with the undertaking of the fieldwork is the ability to assess, analyse and publish the results in the appropriate format. In-house skills include artefact analysis (including prehistoric lithics, Roman to Post-Medieval ceramic building materials, Medieval and Post-Medieval ceramics, clay pipes, coins and glass) as well as pen and ink graphics, CAD generated graphics, survey and photography. It has however always been a firm tenet of PCA's business strategy to sub-contract key areas of
specialisms, such as conservation, environmental analysis, and other specialist artefact analysis. This enables PCA to combine a cost effective approach to the management and resourcing of projects, from a planning to post-excavation stages, with a choice of a greater range of external specialists, many of whom are internationally recognised.
PCA staff regularly gives lectures to academic, professional, and non-professional audiences, as well as giving talks at schools and providing event and public display boards. Pre-Construct Archaeology is holding an Open Day as part of the 2004 National Archaeology Days programme.
Our clients range from small firms to large international companies, individuals to local and statutory bodies, and we particularly pride ourselves in our constructive working relationships with a wide variety of archaeological and multi-disciplinary consultants.
The Future
Having, in a relatively short period of time, established a major position in the archaeological contracts market both within and outside of London, we are not content to sit on our laurels. We have noted areas of operational strengths, such as project management and resourcing, flexibility, and communications, and it is our intention to use these strengths to continue to develop our position within the UK market.
PCA's Quality Control and Expertise
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