Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC)

Scheduling refers to the legal system for protecting nationally important archaeological sites in England. Scheduled monuments are designated and added to a ‘Schedule’ by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under powers contained in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Once a site is scheduled, consent must be obtained from the Secretary of State for any works that affect it, with a very limited number of exceptions. Consent may be granted subject to conditions that specify a method of working or provide arrangements for prior archaeological investigation and recording. Undertaking work on a scheduled monument without consent is a criminal offence and subject to a heavy fine and a possible custodial sentence.

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