Protected wreck sites: heritage protection, licensing and planning

England’s protected wreck sites are nationally important historic shipwrecks and underwater archaeological sites protected from uncontrolled interference. Historic England currently records 57 protected wreck sites in England under section 1 of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.

They sit at the meeting point of heritage law, marine planning and licensing. They are also treated as heritage assets of the highest significance in national planning policy where the terrestrial planning system is relevant. The important practical point is that a planning permission or marine licence does not automatically replace the separate protected-wreck licensing regime.

What is a protected wreck site?

Under section 1 of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, the Secretary of State can designate a restricted area around the site of a vessel lying wrecked in or on the seabed where the site is, or may prove to be, of historical, archaeological or artistic importance.

The restricted area is defined by a statutory instrument. The designation protects more than the surviving hull: the archaeological site can include cargo, fittings, artefacts and the surrounding seabed context which helps explain the wreck.

Historic England advises the Secretary of State on designations in English territorial waters and administers the section 1 licensing system.

How many protected wreck sites are there?

Historic England currently lists 57 section 1 protected wreck sites in England. A separate section 2 regime under the same Act deals with dangerous wrecks; the best-known example is the SS Richard Montgomery. A dangerous-wreck designation is about safety rather than historic significance and should not be confused with a section 1 heritage designation.

Other underwater remains can be protected in different ways. Some wrecks are scheduled monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, while military vessels and crashed military aircraft may be protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.

What activities need a protected-wreck licence?

Within the restricted area, activities involving interference with the wreck or its site are controlled. Historic England states that anyone wishing to dive to visit, salvage or deposit anything at a protected wreck site will generally need authority under a licence granted by the Secretary of State and administered by Historic England.

Bathing, ordinary navigation and angling may continue where there is no likelihood or intention of damaging the wreck or obstructing licensed work. Anchoring on the site is generally restricted to licensed activity or maritime distress because anchors and ground tackle can cause serious archaeological damage.

Unauthorised activity within the restricted area can be a criminal offence. If in doubt, obtain advice from Historic England before entering or carrying out works in the designated area.

A protected-wreck licence is not the same as a marine licence

Marine development can require several different permissions. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is the marine planning and licensing authority for much of English waters. Works such as dredging, construction, deposits, removals and offshore infrastructure may need a marine licence under the marine licensing regime.

That is separate from the Protection of Wrecks Act licence. A project may therefore require a marine licence, protected-wreck authority and other environmental or development consents. Historic England provides heritage advice to the MMO on marine projects and Environmental Impact Assessment where relevant.

How does the NPPF treat protected wreck sites?

Protected wreck sites are treated in national heritage policy as assets of the highest significance. Where a proposal falls within the terrestrial planning system and affects a protected wreck site or its significance, the heritage principles explained in our guide to heritage significance and harm apply.

Any harm requires clear and convincing justification and substantial harm to or loss of an asset of this level should be wholly exceptional. For offshore development, marine policy and the relevant National Policy Statements may provide the primary decision-making framework, but the significance of the protected wreck remains a major heritage consideration.

Development can affect a wreck without touching it

Direct physical damage is the most obvious risk, but it is not the only one. Dredging, aggregate extraction, cable or pipeline installation, offshore wind infrastructure, port works, anchoring, changes to sediment movement and construction activity can alter the archaeological environment around a wreck or expose previously buried remains.

Assessment may therefore need marine archaeological desk-based study, geophysical survey, diver or remotely operated vehicle investigation and a strategy for avoidance, exclusion zones, monitoring or recording.

Can you dive a protected wreck?

Yes, but not simply by treating the designation as an unrestricted recreational dive site. Historic England runs the section 1 licensing system and supports a number of managed physical and virtual dive trails. A diver would normally need to access a protected wreck under the authority of an appropriate licence; however, Historic England also confirms that visitors using an established licensed dive trail can obtain responsible access without applying for their own separate licence. Its updated Accessing England’s Protected Wreck Sites guidance was published in March 2026 for divers and archaeologists working on section 1 sites.

Where do you check whether a wreck is protected?

Protected wreck sites are recorded on the National Heritage List for England and on appropriate UK Hydrographic Office charts. The relevant designation order defines the restricted area, so the statutory boundary rather than an approximate map pin should be checked before work or diving takes place.

A future special-regard duty is not yet being treated as live law

The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 contains a provision intended to introduce a special-regard duty for several nationally significant heritage assets, including protected wreck sites. As at 20 August 2026, section 102 remains uncommenced. The page therefore applies the law and policy currently in force rather than treating the new section 58B duty as operative.

Key sources

• Historic England: Protected Wreck Sites planning consents
• Historic England: Accessing England’s Protected Wreck Sites, 3rd edition, March 2026
• Protection of Wrecks Act 1973
• Planning Geek: Heritage significance and harm

Conservation, Heritage & Protected Sites

Protected Wreck Sites Page Updated: 20th August 2026