Thatched roofs under threat due to straw shortage

Supplies of straw for thatched roofs are low due to three poor harvests, says a thatcher

A thatcher with a three-year waiting list for his services said a shortage of straw had caused problems for his industry.

Chris Dodson, who runs a thatching company based in Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, said the issue was challenging for homeowners of Grade II listed properties, who have to get permission from their local planning authority to use an alternative material.

In a statement Historic England said it was "aware of a developing straw shortage and understands the impact this is having on the thatching trade".

Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, raised the problem with the housing minister, Matthew Pennycook, who said the government would consider the issue.

Mr Dodson says the issue has been challenging for homeowners of Grade II listed properties

According to Mr Dodson the last three harvests have been very bad for straw growers.

"The winter of 2023 was very wet, which meant that yields were down around 40%. So there is a real shortage of the material."

Not all thatched properties use straw, which typically need replacing every 25 years, with some homeowners in the East of England using water reed.

A significant number of thatched properties are Grade II listed, which means there are restrictions on the material that can be used.

Homeowners can apply to their local planning authority for permission to change the material of their thatched roof.

Historic England have a statutory role in the planning system and local authorities are required to consult the body on any planning applications that could potentially impact the historic environment.

Mr Dodson said he felt it was "not very common" for Historic England to give its approval to change the material of thatched roofs and he would like it to "be more pragmatic" - otherwise he feared there will be a lot of leaky roofs.

Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty raised Mr Dodson's concerns in Parliament

Mr Dodson has met with Obese-Jecty, who raised the issue of thatched roofs with the housing minister, Matthew Pennycook, in Parliament on 20 January.

Pennycook said: "The government intends to amend building regulations later this year as part of the introduction of future standards, and it sounds like this issue... is one that we need to consider."

Historic England said it did not have the power to relax "the normal criteria for changing the type of thatch permitted on listed buildings. As this involves legislation, which is passed by government and administered by local planning authorities."

It added: "However, in recognition of the seriousness of the problem, and in consultation with the National Society of Master Thatchers, we are updating the thatch guidance provided on our website to reflect the current situation.

"Historic England recognises the challenges involved in producing and applying the materials needed to preserve the country's thatched buildings. That is why we are working to support the sustainable long-term supply of UK-produced thatching materials."