Cultural Heritage and Archaeology

We’re passionate about what we do: from restoring and reusing historic buildings to protecting archaeological sites, our experts draw on years of experience and the latest innovations to reimagine them for today and for future generations.

Cultural Heritage and Archaeology

Cultural heritage and archaeology projects relate to the past, but in order to ensure our heritage assets continue to form part of the cultural heritage of generations to come, we need also to constantly look to the future. By providing new and innovative ways of sharing, experiencing, preserving, and adapting our monuments, structures and data, we can promote and enhance their value in our fast-changing world.

Rob Early MCIfA Technical Director - Head of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology

Rob Early MCIfA Technical Director - Head of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology

The WSP Cultural Heritage and Archaeology team is one of the largest in the UK and is part of an integrated global environmental team that includes landscape and townscape, ecology, acoustics, air quality and geotechnical and ground risk specialists.

We provided expert advice on some of the most complex and high-profile national and international infrastructure projects, including High Speed 2, Sizewell C Nuclear Power Plant and the HyNet industrial decarbonisation scheme.

We support our clients with historic environment expertise throughout a project’s lifecycle to deliver technical excellence and smart project design through rigorous questioning, research, development and the use of innovative technology. We aspire to lead innovation in our field, effectively deploying the most recent technological developments to deliver our heritage projects.

Co-creation is at the heart of what we do. We continuously collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders and technical experts to deliver meaningful historic environment projects while meeting clients’ economic requirements and creating social value.

Our holistic approach

Our team of experts works on historic environment projects incorporating the full project cycle from pre-planning advice and building recording through to archaeological excavation, post-excavation, publication and archiving.
Our expertise in managing complex projects and assurance of the work undertaken by subcontractors brings confidence to our clients in the successful completion of their projects.
Our approach brings social value with lasting legacies through innovative engagement with varied stakeholders such as local communities, architectural conservation advisory committees, and educational institutions, via recreation, tourism, asset management and placemaking.

Delivering excellence and value for our clients

Our team provides expert advice throughout all stages of a project, maximising opportunities and reducing risks, including feasibility assessment, due diligence, master planning, planning application, consents and discharge of planning conditions.
Our considerate project design and monitoring means that we manage the scope of projects to ensure that work is always proportionate to the significance of heritage assets and the requirements of planning policy and legislation.
We assure specialist fieldwork to deliver high-quality projects efficiently and to programme.

Providing flexibility and scalability

We work on behalf of our clients in both the public and private sectors on development projects which range from national and international infrastructure developments, such as High Speed 2 to smaller projects such as the restoration of Grade II listed Lion Head mooring rings along the Victoria Embankment.
Our highly experienced team includes specialists in heritage planning, heritage policy, historic buildings, conservation architecture, archaeological fieldwork, archaeological post-excavation, research and publication, geoarchaeology marine archaeology and international heritage.
WSP has long-standing partnerships with leading archaeological partners and contractors in the UK through our collaborative work. This enables us to resource heritage projects of any size and scope.