ENGLISH Heritage has applied for planning permission to build another temporary compound on Groundwell Ridge Roman site.

In the plans, which will be discussed at this evening's planning meeting at Swindon Council, the site off Pennine Way will feature presentation compounds, a mock excavation area and a viewing platform, as well as allowing excavation to take place in two trenches when experts return in June.

Nine portable cabins will be brought in for storage, conferences and workers' huts.

A 2m fence will surround the cabins.

This is the second year the organisation has applied to set up a temporary site at Groundwell Ridge.

English Heritage archaeologist Pete Wilson said: "If everything comes together we hope to begin on June 6.

"This will be a much larger excavation we hope to have as many as 40 people on the site at any one time."

Dr Bryn Walters of the Swindon-based Association For Roman Archaeology said the compound was essential.

He said: "I am confident we will see results this year.

"There will be ruins, whereas last year's excavations simply evaluated what was under there."

Last year a similar compound was used by 13 experts as they tried to discover what was beneath the soil at Groundwell.