Can You Metal Detect On Council Owned Land In The UK

When you first start out metal detecting you’re going to be itching to get yourself out there with your metal detector.

This is why I always advise newbies to the hobby to secure permission before purchasing a metal detector.

Think about it pretty much everyone who starts out metal detecting in the UK are going to be asking the same questions and looking for the best places to go metal detecting.

One question I hear all the time is, can you metal detect on council owned land? 

The simple answer is no not without the permission of your local council. Trust me when I say not many councils will allow you to metal detect on their land, however that’s not to say some wont.

I’m from Lincolnshire and they will not allow it. I was close once to securing permission, I was emailing back and forth and the lady who was replying to my emails had given me permission.

We then went on to discuss what land they had available. (You can do a simple land registry search to see who owns it if you have your eye on a plot)

A day later a gentlemen emailed me from the council to say that it will be discussed at the next meeting.

A month later I had another email that basically said my request was raised in the meeting and the verdict was permission denied.

There are however some councils that will allow it, I have seen and head of this in the past. I couldn’t tell you off hand exactly which councils allow metal detecting one I know of is Chesterfield Borough Council.

Just go to Google type in “[locality] council” in to the search, hit enter and find your local councils website.

Take a look around for the contact page or email and ask the question.

Or you could type in “[locality] council metal detecting”, some councils have information available much like the Chesterfield Borough councils website above.

You do have to remember though that most beginner detectorists will be doing the same thing, so I imagine they have hundreds upon hundreds of requests and no doubt some councils will just outright ignore you.

My honest advice is to go knocking doors, you can read my quick guide on how to secure permissions for metal detecting here. It comes with a handy permission template letter too!

But there is nothing more effective and successful as knocking on doors and asking if you can have permission to metal detect on their land.

 

 

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