A DIG to check a proposed future burial ground in Redditch for Roman and Medieval finds will start tomorrow (Wednesday October 14).

Archaeologists will work on the 11.5-acre grassland off Ipsley Church Lane until Monday, depending on the weather and what they find.

The land is currently the subject of a controversial planning application by Redditch Borough Council to change its use from mostly open space to burial ground - which has received hundreds of objections on their planning website.

The plans highlight that “space for burial is diminishing in the borough” and the cemetery could provide enough land for between 60 and 70 years of use.

However, some residents say changing the use of land would be a loss to the Ipsley community, as it is used for recreational purposes.

Others are fearful for the impact on wildlife and feel the land should be left untouched.

The council has commissioned Archaeology Warwickshire to carry out a detailed fieldwork assessment of the site.

The full programme of works will include digging on-site ‘trial trenches’ and then recording, assessing, and publishing the results before adding any finds to local archives.

Councillor Brandon Clayton, Redditch Borough Council’s portfolio holder for environmental services, said: “With Redditch’s Roman history, with the Roman road and settlements, this archaeological dig could add to what we know about our past and tell a bit more of the story of Redditch.

“It’s another important part of the work to check the site is the right site for what we want and need. Just like when we had drilling rigs in to analyse the soil in 2016, it’s all part of the long process we’re going through to assess whether the site could be a suitable site for Redditch’s next burial ground.”