Planning permission is governed by Local Planning Authorities who work according to central government's Planning Policy Guidance notes (PPGs). PPG 15 and PPG 16 are concerned with historic environment and archaeology. Early identification of the potential impact of archaeological issues on the proposed development will inform any necessary design solution, which can often have little impact if implemented at the design stage.

Scheduled Ancient Monuments require Scheduled Monument Consent before any intrusive works are carried out, whether or not planning permission is required.

Faculties are the ecclesiastical equivalent of planning permission.

Public relations possibilities of archaeological discoveries can be significant, as is shown by the popularity of such media programmes as Channel 4's Time Team and Radio 4's Mapping the Town. At a more local level, press and radio coverage, together with on-site displays, can greatly enhance the public's appreciation of the value of a development, without which the archaeology would remain unknown.

Consultancy: Development schemes which include an archaeological or heritage element require effective archaeological management from the outset.

As direct archaeological costs are often insignificant in comparison with the potential implications for delay to the wider scheme, it is important to focus on a feasibility study and risk assessment in the early stages of a project. This informs the formulation of a mitigation strategy to manage the archaeological issues in the critical path of the development.

In this way the archaeological and heritage issues are given their appropriate weight and their integration within the wider scheme is ensured, providing a staged programme of works with identification of cost implications.