Commentary on Sections Part 2 — Monuments of special historic interest Chapter 3 — Control of works affecting scheduled monuments Section 11 — Requirement for works to be authorised
53.This section provides that a wide range of works affecting a scheduled monument, extending from demolition to repair, may only be carried out with authorisation under this Chapter. In practice, this means that almost any works to a scheduled monument — including those that will benefit the asset, such as repairing masonry, filling in erosion scars or conducting archaeological investigations — will require authorisation. The authorisation may be either by scheduled monument consent under section 13, or, in certain narrowly defined circumstances, as works falling within a description of a class of works under section 12.
54.Subsection (1) of this section states that a person must not carry out, cause or permit the relevant works to be carried out unless those works are authorised. In addition to prohibiting a person from undertaking works personally or commissioning or employing others to conduct them, this provision stops a person from allowing works to proceed without taking action to prevent them. A landowner cannot, therefore, deliberately turn a blind eye to unauthorised works taking place on a scheduled monument on the landowner’s property.
55.If a person carries out, causes or permits any works to a scheduled monument in breach of subsection (1), it constitutes an offence under section 30(1).