Excavation work is underway at a field near Junction 16 of the M4 - the proposed site for a new motorway service station in the county.

Wiltshire Council is currently considering the application that was filed by Moto Hospitality, the UK's largest motorway service area operator, in October last year. 

If approved, the scheme would create a £30 million site equipped with 62 new HGV spaces, 241 car parking spaces, a petrol station, and associated food and drink facilities.

In the meantime, work has been carried out at the proposed site, at Junction 16 near Swindon, adjacent to the M4 and immediately north of the B4005.

A drone image taken by a member of the public shows that the site has had a number of what appears to be archaeological trenches dug at various points. 

Swindon Advertiser: A CGI showing how the new service station could look. Image: MotoA CGI showing how the new service station could look. Image: Moto (Image: Newsquest)

As part of the initial application, a geophysical survey was carried out using magnetometry. 

This uncovered a 'linear anomaly that appears to relate to a fragmented linear ditch but its date and function are uncertain'. 

The report added: "A small number of discrete, pit-like features have also been located, but it is not clear if they relate to natural or anthropogenic features.

"A small number of very weekly positive linear anomalies and a negative linear anomaly have also been located in the north western part of the site, but they lack a coherent morphology and cannot be confidently interpreted as cut features."

But Tim Havard, assistant county archaeologist for Wiltshire, added that more needed to be done. 

In a comment left on the planning application in November, he said: "I note that a Heritage and Archaeology Assessment (including the results of a geophysical survey) has been submitted in support of this application.

"I do not however agree with the opinion stated in section 5.15 of this document that the identification of potential archaeological features through geophysical survey is sufficient archaeological mitigation.

"It is important that the results of the geophysical survey are "ground-truthed" by means of an archaeological trial trench evaluation undertaken prior to determination of this planning application.

"The results of this will enable me to offer fully informed advice on the archaeological potential of the application area and the need for any further archaeological mitigation.

"As the application currently stands, we do not have enough information with which to assess the archaeological potential of the site and so are left with no alternative but to object to this application."