Managing and Protecting our Historic ... - Historic Scotland
Managing and Protecting our Historic ... - Historic Scotland
Managing and Protecting our Historic ... - Historic Scotland
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The <strong>Historic</strong> Environment (Amendment) (Scotl<strong>and</strong>) Act Explained | 25<br />
1<br />
1. Old Town Conservation Area,<br />
Edinburgh<br />
2. Broughty Ferry Conservation Area,<br />
Dundee<br />
2<br />
Conservation areas<br />
What are conservation areas?<br />
Conservation areas are defined as ‘areas<br />
of special architectural or historic interest<br />
the character or appearance of which it is<br />
desirable to preserve or enhance’ under the<br />
Planning (Listed Buildings <strong>and</strong> Conservation<br />
Areas) (Scotl<strong>and</strong>) Act (‘the 1997 Act’). All<br />
planning authorities are required from time<br />
to time to determine which areas meet<br />
this definition <strong>and</strong> to designate them as<br />
conservation areas. There are over 630<br />
conservation areas in Scotl<strong>and</strong>. The public<br />
will normally be consulted on any proposal to<br />
designate conservation areas or to change<br />
their boundaries.<br />
When is conservation area consent<br />
required?<br />
Conservation area consent will normally be<br />
required for the demolition of an unlisted<br />
building within a conservation area. This<br />
process is managed by the planning<br />
authorities. If minded to approve consent the<br />
planning authority must obtain a final view from<br />
<strong>Historic</strong> Scotl<strong>and</strong> prior to issuing consent.<br />
In 2009-10, 167 conservation area consent<br />
applications from planning authorities were<br />
notified to <strong>Historic</strong> Scotl<strong>and</strong>.<br />
Urgent works to preserve unoccupied<br />
buildings in conservation areas<br />
If it appears to Scottish Ministers that the<br />
preservation of a building in a conservation<br />
area is important for maintaining the character<br />
or appearance of that area, they may direct<br />
that an urgent works notice under section 49 of<br />
1997 Act (allowing urgent works to be carried<br />
out) shall apply to it as it applies to listed<br />
buildings.<br />
Changes introduced by the Act<br />
The Act amends the 1997 Act to ensure that<br />
stop notices <strong>and</strong> temporary stop notices will<br />
be available as enforcement tools in relation<br />
to unlisted buildings in conservation areas. This<br />
is consistent with other protection afforded to<br />
such buildings by virtue of section 66(3) of the<br />
1997 Act (control of demolition in conservation<br />
areas).