Planning Services
Built Heritage Conservation
Historic Environment
South Ayrshire's urban and rural environment has a historical dimension that contributes
to its quality and character. This is most noticeable in our built heritage such
as ancient monuments; archaeological sites and landscapes; historic buildings; townscapes;
parks; gardens and designed landscapes. The historic environment encompasses the
setting in which these features sit, and the patterns of past use in landscapes
and in our towns, villages and streets. It also has less tangible aspects recognised
as the historical, artistic, literary, and scenic associations of places and landscapes.
These various elements contribute fundamentally to a sense of place and cultural
identity.
The Environment and Conservation Section is, amongst other things, responsible for
the protection and management of the historic environment through the designation
and enhancement of conservation areas. It also has duties in relation to listed
buildings, scheduled ancient monuments and historic gardens and designed landscapes.
There are currently twenty one designated conservation areas in South Ayrshire and
over nine hundred listed buildings.
Historic Scotland is an agency of the Scottish Government responsible
for the listing and safeguarding of the nation's historic buildings. Historic Scotland
safeguards the historic environment by scheduling monuments of national importance
and by listing historic buildings of special architectural or historic interest.
The agency also conserves properties in the care of Scottish Ministers and provides
financial assistance to other owners towards the costs of conserving and repairing
outstanding monuments and buildings. Historic Scotland can be contacted by telephone
on 0131 668 8600 or at
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk.
Conservation Areas
Interactive map