In June 2014 Cotswold Archaeology was commissioned by Construct Reason Ltd to undertake an Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of land at Stowmarket, Suffolk. The objective of the assessment was to identify the nature and extent of the archaeological resource both within the site and its immediate environs. The site of a Cold War Royal Observer Corps monitoring post is recorded within the proposed development site. It was closed in 1968 and subsequently demolished. No above ground evidence for the monitoring post was identified during the walkover survey. There is a potential for below ground remains associated with this feature to occur within the site, although the heritage significance of any potential remains is likely to be limited. The Combs parish Tithe Apportionment records the south-eastern field within the development site as 'Mill Mound Field', possibly indicating the location of a mill and later extant mill mound. However, no evidence for this feature is recorded on historic mapping, aerial photography, LiDAR data or during the walkover survey. Any below ground remains relating to this feature are likely to be of limited heritage significance. The Suffolk Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) defines the proposed development site as a mixture of 'pre-18th century enclosure - random fields' and 'post-1950 agricultural landscapes' but which were previously part of the pre-18th century enclosure. Land use will change as a result of the proposed development, although the masterplan indicates that the current field boundaries within the site will be retained and the layout of the historic landscape will be preserved in the design of the development. The significance of potential archaeological heritage assets within the proposed development site is considered to be limited. Possibly the earliest remains were encountered in the southern part of the site, where two sherds of Roman pottery were recovered from a ditch that may have formed part of a rectilinear enclosure on the crest of the hill. Further to the north, near the base of the slope that overlooks the small stream that forms the site's northern boundary, a medieval ditch system was investigated. Sherds of 11th to 14th-century pottery were recovered from two of the ditches, along with a small assemblage of animal bone; the other ditches in this area are undated but several are probably associated with the ditch system. Other features included former field boundary ditches, agricultural...