In 1989 The Newstead Project began, a 5-year archaeological investigation undertaken by the Department of Archaeological Sciences of Bradford University. Initially under the direction of Dr. Rick Jones, and thereafter Dr. Simon Clarke, the project would employ the most modern archaeological techniques to the Trimontium site for the first time. Towards the end of the 5-year project the situation for the Trimontium site looked perilous - a new bypass was scheduled to cut through the south annexe of the fort site. The Trimiontium Trust gave evidence at two public enquiries, arguing for the historic evidence within the site to be preserved, arguing that there was too much archaeological knowledge held within the area to be disturbed. Dr Simon Clarke uncovered forty major archaeological features in his 1994 'rescue excavation', including six deep pits containing a wealth of organic material. In 1996 Dr. Clark returned to the site to examine the suspected amphitheater and suspected north annexe and in 1997 the Bradford University team completed the geophysics survey of the Trimontium site.