Protecting and managing historic places
Protected Historic Places
Many of Scotland's important historic buildings, sites and landscapes have a degree of legal protection. This ensures that decisions about changes to these places are carefully considered.
On our website you can:
search for a protected historic place to find out if legal protections apply to a particular building or site
get an overview of the designations process, including applying for, or appealing against, a designation
Contact us about protected places
Our Designations Team is available to answer questions relating to Protected Historic Places, or discuss a designation case.
Phone: 0131 668 8914
Consents and permissions
You might need consent if you plan to make changes or carry out work on a protected historic place.
On our website you can find out about:
scheduled monument consent and how to apply for it
what happens when work happens without consent
Contact us about consents
For more information, or if you have any questions about consents, contact our team.
Contact our Planning and Consents Team
Phone: 0131 668 8716
Looking after traditional buildings
We share guidance on how to repair and maintain buildings in a sustainable way, retaining their historic character.
On our website you can get advice on:
You can also explore the resources from The Engine Shed, our dedicated building conservation centre,
Contact us about traditional buildings
For advice on traditional materials, including energy efficiency upgrades and refurbishments, you can contact our Technical Research Team.
Phone: 0131 668 8951
Email: technicalresearch@hes.scot
Managing scheduled monuments
When a site is made a scheduled monument, it remains the property of its owner and there is no duty to maintain or manage a site positively, though we do encourage this.
On our website you can:
get on overview of what managing a scheduled monument involves, and how we can help
apply for our Monument Management Fund
Contact us about managing scheduled monuments
For more information, or if you have any questions about managing scheduled monuments, contact our team.
Contact our Planning and Consents Team
Phone: 0131 668 8716
Visiting scheduled monuments
You should behave responsibly when visiting scheduled monument - remember these places are protected by law.
On our website you can find out about:
Contact us about visiting scheduled monuments
For more information, or if you have any questions about visiting scheduled monuments, contact our team.
Contact our Planning and Consents Team
Phone: 0131 668 8716
Survey and recording
Our Archaeology and Buildings Recording Teams investigate Scotland’s historic environment in support of HES and heritage sector priorities. All survey and knowledge created is deposited in the National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) and made available to everyone via trove.scot.
On our website you can:
read about our work recording the historic environment
find our more about the NRHE
Contact us about survey and recording
For more information, or if you have any questions about survey and recording, contact us via email: survey@hes.scot
Heritage data
We provide advice on data standards, ensuring our records meet national and international standards.
To ask us for a bespoke dataset, or for advice on managing heritage data and/or data analysis, email heritagedata@hes.scot.