This is achieved by providing specialist advice and information to central and local government, landowners and managers, conservation organisations, students and all those with an interest in the county's history and archaeology.

The work of the team is supported by the Historic Environment Record, which holds information on archaeological finds and features, including historic buildings and maritime archaeology.

The team does not function as a commercial consultancy in the conventional sense, but provides information and advice on historic environment matters to a wide range of people and organisations, and across a wide range of issues and activities, including: 

Historic buildings

The Historic Environment Manager can give general advice on historic buildings and the legislation pertaining to them, appropriate materials and techniques, and specialist craftsmen. As a general rule, particularly if you have a specific building in mind, the local authority Conservation Officer should be your first point of contact for advice on the need for listed building consent and/or planning permission, and the procedures involved, materials and techniques in keeping with the historic character of the building, and information on specialist craftsmen.

Planning and archaeology

The Senior Archaeologist (Advice and Management) monitors planning applications and advises the local planning authorities on the possible archaeological implications of what is being proposed. We also give information and advice to prospective developers and their agents, and to local residents and communities. Our role is to act independently as advisors in the best interests of Dorset's historic environment, so we cannot be employed directly as consultants and we don't do excavation or other archaeological work in connection with planning applications.  A number of commercial archaeological companies are active in the county, and these organisations can fulfil these roles. We don't approve contractors, but we can provide information on who is available for work in the county.

If you have a development proposal we would be happy to discuss it before you submit a planning application. Please bear in mind that we can only discuss the potential archaeological impact of development proposals and your first point of contact should be the local planning authority. They may ask for a statement which assesses the likely impact of your development proposal on the historic environment; in this case information can be obtained from the Historic Environment Record.

Finds identification and recording

Dorset and Somerset County Councils share two Finds Liaison Officers (Portable Antiquities Scheme). The FLOs give advice and assist with the identification, recording and reporting of archaeological finds.