Uncatalogued archaeological remains belonging to a Roman Villa were discovered during earth moving works in the area of Nuevo Puente del Trabajo. These remains would interfere with planned projects for infrastructure, platform, track,  and building work necessary for the construction of rail and road access for the future station at La Sagrera. The discovery of archaeological remains causes inevitable delay to any project, as any archaeological intervention must be authorised by the competent body and include collaboration from the appropriate technical professionals for each case.

The discovery of archaeological remains also implies a series of obligations such as the preparation of an inventory and labelling of recovered material, consolidating pieces obtained and the preparation of reports and a memoir on the results of the intervention. 

The Government of Catalonia’s Department of Culture was consulted in order to carry out a proper archaeological intervention together with the assistance of two chief  archaeologists, six technical archaeologists and more than sixty assistants  to carry out the excavation of the located remains. The excavation work lasted four months, from the 7th July to the 28th October 2011, during which time approximately 1,100 m2 were excavated. During these four months a Roman Villa of great scientific value was discovered on this archaeological site, dating back to the I-II centuries AD and in use until the IV or V centuries AD.

The Roman Villa´s state of preservation allowed the discovery of: the urbana (main house), an extension of the urbana and an open patio; It was also discovered that renovations had been carried out during the villa´s occupancy to construct  structures of an industrial nature. 

The excavation documented a large group of silos dating back to Iberian or late Republican times as well as a series of wall foundations from the I-II centuries BC. A large amount of ceramic material was also documented, representing the two periods of occupation; a collection of metal elements, especially iron and brass; a numismatic set of 40 coins. Wall paintings were removed from the walls of the central patio together with a mosaic from the thermal area for subsequent  estoration. In addition to all of these elements, sediment, carbon and cladding samples were collected to carry out the corresponding analysis.

This operation demonstrates that by actively incorporating the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage in the project, the discovery and appreciation of key parts of the cultural heritage of a region can be achieved, contributing to its social sustainability.