Land areas permitted for metal detecting
Dear West Berkshire Council,
1. Please could you list the land areas owned by West Berkshire Council where is permitted to use a metal detector?
2. Is a special permit required? If so, how to obtain one?
Yours faithfully,
Marty Turner
FoI/2015/722
Dear Mr Turner
Request for information: Land areas permitted for metal detecting
Thank you for your request received 12.08.2015; we will seek to respond
within twenty working days.
Yours sincerely,
Jayne Mann
Appeals Officer
Strategic Support,
West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD
email: [email address]
01635 519458 (external) 2458 (internal)
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FoI/2015/722
Dear Mr Turner
Request for information: Land areas permitted for metal detecting
Please see below the Council’s response to your request for information.
1. Please could you list the land areas owned by West Berkshire Council
where is permitted to use a metal detector?
2. Is a special permit required? If so, how to obtain one?
West Berkshire Council do not have a specific list of land areas where it
is permitted to use a metal detector. The best advice we can give is to
contact your local metal detecting club:
[1]http://surreysearchersmdc.co.uk/Surrey_S...
In the West Berkshire area:
[2]http://www.berkshire-detectorists.com/
West Berkshire Council do not permit metal detecting in its parks and open
spaces as we have had problems in the past with sports areas being dug and
the turf left turned.
Our Countryside sites are mostly under the management of the local
wildlife Trust BBOWT and they are protected sites. However you may want
to contact Alex Cruickshank through their website:
[3]http://www.bbowt.org.uk/contact-us
The Archaeological Officer has offered the following general information;
Metal detecting can not only be a fascinating hobby, but can also be of
immense use in archaeological investigations – providing that it is
carried out responsibly. Land owner’s permission is always required when
detecting, and certain sites are nationally designated and therefore
protected by law. Detecting is not permitted on Scheduled Monuments, for
example, without specific consent from Historic England – and even then it
would need to be with a solid research project in mind. There is also
legislation regarding finds that count as Treasure Trove ( e.g. where
items are 10% or more precious metal and at least 300 years) which needs
to be observed.
The best place to go for advice on best practice and relevant legislation
is the Portable Antiquities Scheme; this is a government funded scheme to
encourage the discovery and responsible recording of finds – the Scheme
employs a network of Finds Liaison Officers across the UK who can give
advice on metal detecting, as well as identify finds and liaise with
groups etc. The FLO for our area is Anni Byard and she can be contacted on
[4][email address]
The best first step would be to join a local metal detecting club or
society – rallies are often held with land owner’s permission and it would
be a good place to meet like minded and experienced individuals.
For a summary of all of the main issues etc, you can go to the Council for
British Archaeology’s website at
[5]http://new.archaeologyuk.org/best-practice - this page has a lot if
useful advice and links.
Under certain circumstances the Council may authorise metal detecting in
specific locations if the activity is part of a specific research
project. In which case permission would have to be granted by the
Council.
If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled, you may ask
for an internal review. You should contact David Lowe, Scrutiny &
Partnerships Manager, Strategic Support, Council Offices, Market Street,
Newbury RG14 5LD, email [6][email address] if you wish to request
a review. If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review,
you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire SK9 5AF
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Suzi Kenchington
Information Support Officer
Strategic Support,
West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD
email: [7][email address]
' 01635 519860 (external) ' 2860 (internal)
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