We are pleased to announce that Matt Astill has joined our Manchester office as Associate Director of our Heritage team. Matt will take a leadership role in this area and will support our continued growth in the Midlands and the North.
An experienced heritage consultant with 15 years’ experience, Matt has worked for a broad range of clients in the commercial, residential property and renewable energy sectors. Key projects have ranged from proposed development works close to historic town centres to large-scale developments in rural areas. A qualified commercial hard hat diver, he started his professional life as an underwater archaeologist, later moving to work as a field archaeologist on terrestrial sites.
Matt has extensive experience of managing archaeological and heritage works from inception to the completion of on-site evaluation and mitigation works. He has authored a range of documents, including desk assessments, heritage statements, written schemes of investigation, and environmental statement chapters. He works closely with contracting cultural heritage specialists to complete on site archaeological works when required, and liaises closely with local authority representatives, including county archaeologists and conservation officers to ensure best practice adherence.
Matt is currently project managing heritage works for the new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal in Liverpool. He has previously managed and provided heritage advice on large city residential developments, including Trafford Waters in Manchester on behalf of Peel Developments, Aire Park in Leeds for Vastint UK and the South Macclesfield Development Area for Barratt Homes. In addition, he has managed large-scale archaeological site evaluation and mitigation works, including the excavations of an Iron Age-Romano British settlement in Ryhope, Sunderland; geophysical survey across the late prehistoric settlement site at Throckmorton airfield which featured in an episode of Time Team, and building recording works on the scheduled Medieval city wall in Worcester.
Commenting on the appointment, Sally Hales, Waterman’s National Heritage Lead, said: “We are delighted Matt has joined us to help deliver our expanding portfolio of heritage projects. His skills and experience will be invaluable in supporting our national heritage offering on major infrastructure and property projects as well as developing our heritage offering in the Midlands and North.”
