Developing land is not cheap, but that’s not a good reason for government to make it more expensive. If archeology surveys are in the public interest, then the

Developing land is not cheap, but that’s not a good reason for government to make it more expensive. If archeology surveys are in the public interest, then they should be funded by the public at large through property taxes of all homeowners and land owners, rather than just a handful who will live in a specific new building. If the public at large is unwilling to stomach an increase in property taxes to pay for archeology surveys, then that is a pricing signal that public does not actually value those surveys at all. (except in so far as they make the construction of additional housing, more difficult and more expensive, which was probably the point all along.)