Closed petition: Allow metal detectorists to search land prior to building development

Closed on 24 August 2025

Create a law, that coincides with planning permissions to allow metal detectorists to search the land prior to building, to recover any historical items that could be lost, once building has taken place. We think metal detectorists should be able to search a three acre circumference around the site.

The Governments figures show that between 2019-2022, 48,500 hectares in England had the usage changed to development.

We feel that once development begins, any historical items are then lost.

There were more than 53,000 archaeological finds and 1,300 Treasure cases in 2022, recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme at the British Museum.

We feel this shows to shear amount of historical items being found each year around the UK.

If this law was put in place, a non-profit organisation could be started to over see this, with any money gained being used to preserve the nations history.