England's Historic Seascapes: Scarborough to Hartlepool
Cornwall Council, 2007. https://doi.org/10.5284/1000201. How to cite using this DOI
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 744
- ALSF Project Number: 4731
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1000201
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction | Seascapes Character Types
Telecommunications
- Introduction: defining/distinguishing attributes and principal locations
- Historical processes; components, features and variability
- Values and perceptions
- Research, amenity and education
- Condition & forces for change
- Rarity and vulnerability
- Recommendations
- Sources
Introduction: defining/distinguishing attributes and principal locations
The Type Telecommunications includes the following sub-type:
- Submarine cables
- Submarine power cables
Modern telecommunications systems still require the use of submarine cables in addition to satellites. British Telecommunications plc is the principal body laying and operating submarine communications cables around the UK (English Heritage, 1997; 204).
There are two principal cables routes that pass through the study area. One set (PANGEA1) run from the foreshore between Redcar and Marske and follow a north-easterly route to Denmark. Another set (UK-GER6 and TGNNEUROPE) run out from Filey before sweeping north into the central part of the area before separating, one continuing towards Denmark, the other veering east over the Dogger Bank to Germany. Two redundant cables are recording lying in Cayton Bay.
Historical processes; components, features and variability
The growth in Internet use and the developmentof e-commerce has seen a huge increase in global electronic data transmission over recent years. Cable numbers are increasing as a result of this increased traffic with many now traversing the North Sea to linkthe UK with mainland Europe. In general, most of the cables are trenched to a depth of 40-90cm with rock-dumping used to anchor cables as a lastresort. However, older redundant cables are more likely not to be trenched (DTI 2002).
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Figure 9.65. The laying of a cable in the River Esk (© Sutcliffe Gallery www.sutcliffe-gallery.co.uk)
The cables in the study are modern impositions onto other types. However some cables in UK waters are of historic importance offering important insights into the early development of telecommunications in the 20th century.
Values and Perceptions
The presence of submarine telecommunications cables in the marine environment is likely to go largely unnoticed. However for the millions of users of the internet and phones, their importance cannot be underestimated. There is unlikely to be any direct appreciation of the potential damage, or indeed potential for discovery of archaeological features during cable laying, entrenchment and maintenance.
Research, amenity and education
Works undertaken during cable laying and or maintenance offer an invaluable opportunity to further investigate the archaeological potential of any routes. There is also the opportunity to mitigate against possible damage. Numerous archaeological projects from around UK waters have demonstrated that important palaeo-environmental evidence can be unearthed during such works, deposits rich in pollen taxa and macrofossils that inform our knowledge of the evolution of past environments and landscapes and marine transgressions.
The amenity and education value of telecommunications are obvious.
Condition & forces for change
Telecommunication cables are a modern imposition on to other Types. Archaeological impacts may arise from preliminary survey work, laying and maintenance of cable, and removal of disused cables. Preparatory investigation may involve intrusive survey of the sea bed, disturbing and exposing archaeological deposits, though also providing detailed knowledge of sea bed conditions. Cables are replaced fairly regularly as technology moves on. Laying the cables involves burying them where they cross the foreshore and in shallow waters, potentially destroying archaeological remains. In deeper water submersible ploughs, running on tracks or skis and towed by surface vessels, are used for trenching, laying cable, and subsequent inspections, and the use of such machinery could damage sites on the sea bed (English Heritage 1997, 204).
Trawling and anchoring regularly, though infrequently, cause breaks in cables. Maintenance work can also disturb underlying archaeological remains. Disused cables are retrieved, though in one case Cable and Wireless were asked by the National Trust to leave a cable because of its heritage value. Recovery operations would certainly disturb archaeological sites on the line of a cable (English Heritage 1997, 204).
Rarity and vulnerability
The laying of telecommunications cables is likely to increase although the development of wireless technology will inevitably lead to the redundancy of many routes in time. Some cables of historic importance may be left for posterity.
Recommendations
Although operators must submit plans of proposed works to the Secretary of State for approval, who in turn must be satisfied that people with proprietary interests in the waters or land are adequately advised and compensated for any loss or damage arising from the works, environmental assessment is not required for submarine telecommunication cables (English Heritage, 1997; 204). This situation could be reconsidered to enable a form of planning process to be instituted.
Trenching and burying in inter-tidal and marine environments would benefit from archaeological mitigation or failing that, recording.
CPA (Coastal Protection Act) consent is normally needed before a cable can be laid on or under the seabed, and for its subsequent maintenance and removal, if those operations could have navigational impacts. However, certain operators of electronic communications networks can carry out a limited range of works in the waters of the UK territorial sea without such consent (DEFRA March 2007, 60). The recently published Marine Bill White Paper: A Sea of Change (March 2007) highlights that these tidal works powers 'provide a duplicative consenting process with no material benefit for either operators or regulators' (ibid). It proposes to 'repeal the provisions of the Telecommunications Act 1984 that allow for consent under that Act instead of licensing under general marine rules. The environment, marine heritage, or other legitimate uses of the sea will remain fully protected. Where an assessment of the environmental and navigational impacts of such works is needed, it will be carried out under the reformed licensing regime' (ibid).
Sources
Department of Trade and Industry, 2002. Strategic Environmental Assessment Area 3.
English Heritage, 1997. England's Coastal Heritage: A survey for English Heritage and RCHME
