Open petition: Amend the Ancient Monuments Act 1979 to ban building on all scheduled sites.
Created by Richard Andrew Kelly
Closes on
Parliament must amend the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 to mandate a total ban on Scheduled Monument Consent for any permanent above-ground construction. This should apply to all list entries where archaeological deposits exist, removing discretionary executive powers.
Current law allows the Government to grant consent for commercial building on ancient sites via unscrutinised executive orders. This fails to protect our heritage from irreversible damage. For example, at Castle Hill (List 1009846), development is planned despite significant archaeological remains and public outcry. We need a mandatory statutory ban on construction to ensure the 1979 Act serves its primary purpose: the absolute preservation of monuments for future generations.
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This petition will stay open until 2 December 2026.