Heritage Protection

Key UK legislation for heritage protection

The United Kingdom has ratified the 1954 Hague Convention and both its two Protocols in September 2017. There are a number of key legal instruments that govern heritage protection in the UK. These form the foundation for all other legislation governing heritage, whether in conflict or natural disasters.

an old stone structure in a field with a blue sky with some white clouds

England: they are summarised here by Historic England in their Heritage Protection Guide.
Scotland: they are summarised on Historic Scotland’s page: Scotland’s Historic Environment Policy.
Wales: the current legislation and guidance on heritage protection is summarised in the CADW website. Although also subject to many of the same instruments as England, Wales has also passed the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill on 9 February 2016.
Northern Ireland: a summary of the regulations underpinning the protection of natural heritage can be found online on the National Parks & Wildlife Service website. Legislation concerning the protection of monuments is available on the National Monuments Service website. In case of enquiries, it is possible to contact the Historic Environment Division responsible to record, protect, conserve and promote heritage. Contact details of the staff are available on the Department of Communities website.