Historic Environment
Find out about the historic environment in South Ayrshire.
South Ayrshire's landscape has a historical dimension that contributes positively to its distinctive quality and character. This is most noticeable in our built heritage such as scheduled monuments; historic buildings; townscapes; parks; gardens and designed landscapes and archaeology. The historic environment encompasses the setting of these assets, and the patterns of past land use. It also has fewer 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 Council's Role
The Planning Service is responsible for the protection and management of the historic environment through the designation and enhancement of conservation areas, the formulation of policy, and the processing of applications for planning permission, listed building consent, and other related statutory consents. It also has duties in relation to listed buildings, scheduled monuments and historic gardens and designed landscapes. South Ayrshire Council's planning policy on the Historic Environment is set out within the adopted South Ayrshire Local Development Plan (LDP2) and planning guidance.
Currently, we are working towards the adoption of a new local development plan (LDP3). More information can be found here.
Conservation Areas
At present, there are 23 conservation areas within South Ayrshire, which contain a variety of statutory and non-statutory designations. The 23 conservation areas are listed below and should you require a copy of the conservation area appraisal or management plan, please email [email protected] to request this.
- Alloway
- Ayr 2
- Ayr Central (management plan)
- Ballantrae 1
- Ballantrae 2
- Barr
- Burns Monument
- Colmonell
- Crosshill
- Dundonald
- Dunure
- Girvan (management plan)
- Kirkmichael
- Kirkoswald
- Maybole
- Monkton
- Prestwick
- Southwoods
- St. Quivox
- Straiton
- Symington
- Tarbolton
- Troon
To find out if your property is within a conservation area, or to view a designated asset such as a listed building, please use our interactive map here .
Article 4 Directions
Article 4 Directions remove specific permitted development rights in conservation areas. There are Article 4 Directions for the majority of the conservation areas listed above. If you require further information, please contact the planning service.
Regulation 11 Directions
Certain types of advertisement have deemed consent. Regulation 11 Directions remove this consent and are currently applicable within the Ayr Central conservation area. If you require further information, please contact the planning service.
Further Resources
PastMap - for interactive mapping, as well as historical maps.
West of Scotland Archaeology Service (WoSAS) - information pertaining to the Historic Environment Record (HER).
Trove - records on Canmore, Scran and our Property in Care Collections (HES).
