Post-Excavation Services for HS2

In September 2024, Headland Archaeology, as the lead organisation within the Access+ consortium, was awarded the HS2 Post-Excavation Services contract. The Access+ consortium comprises a highly experienced and multidisciplinary team, including Arup, 4AD, DigVentures, Copper and Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), among others.

The first phase of work involved gathering the entire physical archive from existing contractors across the country and relocating it to our new premises at Brighouse close to our existing offices in Cleckheaton; this will form the HS2 hub for the next six years. We have also began consolidating the vast amount of digital data generated to date to conduct a comprehensive review which will inform the scope of future work. A fully developed project design is scheduled for completion in 2026, setting out the aims, methods, and many, varied outputs to be produced during the project delivery phase, which will run from 2026 to 2030.

This is a hugely exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of academic research, working alongside five university partners, and to develop and test innovative solutions to working practices and methods within the heritage sector. We are collaborating closely with the client and a broad range of stakeholders, from local communities to established heritage and non-heritage organisations, to create opportunities for meaningful engagement. The project aims to produce a wide array of outputs designed for different audiences and to leave a lasting legacy for the sector and beyond.