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Battlefields Trust enlists cross party MP support to engage government on battlefield protection

20 January 2025

In October 2024 the Battlefields Trust asked its members who lived in constituencies with registered historic battlefields to come forward to write letters to their MP asking them to support better protection for battlefields.  

Many members volunteered, and 22 letters drafted by the Trust were sent to MPs highlighting how the government could enhance protections for historic battlefields. 

One request was to ensure that the requirement to have special regard for preserving or enhancing registered battlefields in deciding planning applications which was set out in the Levelling–Up and Regeneration Act (2023) was quickly enacted by secondary legislation. Other measures included putting in place better procedures to avoid harm to battlefields from permitted development and doing more to avoid degradation of battlefield archaeology through non–systematic metal detecting.

Many of the MPs approached wrote to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) raising the issues identified by the Trust and received a response from Ministers, which they shared with their constituent. 

Baroness Taylor, the MHCLG Parliamentary Under Secretary of State said, ‘I have noted the Trust’s specific suggestions on improving the protection for registered battlefields through the planning system, which we will consider as we develop our policies on heritage’. She added, however, that MHCLG had no plans to adopt measures to better protect battlefield archaeology.

A small number of MPs separately asked to meet to discuss the issues raised in the letters sent on behalf of the Trust. MPs Sir Jeremy Wright KC, Sean Woodcock, and Stuart Andrew, whose constituencies contain the battlefields of Edgehill (1642), Cropredy Bridge (1644), Naseby (1645) and Edgcote 1469) respectively have all since been met. Other meetings are also planned.

Graham Evans, chair of the Northamptonshire Battlefields Society, who met Stuart Andrews to talk about the Naseby and Edgcote battlefields in his constituency said ‘I had a good conversation with Stuart about battlefield preservation and the need to get the proposals contained in the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act (2023), that increase battlefield protection and were lobbied for by the Society and the Battlefields Trust, fully implemented.

The Trust’s research coordinator, Simon Marsh, added ‘this letter writing has enabled the Battlefields Trust to place key battlefield protection issues before MPs and the government. Without the assistance of our members this would not have been possible, and I would like to thank all those who offered to help for their support and engagement.’