Asset Transfer Requests

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has recently published an interim policy on how it will facilitate Asset Transfer under The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and would like to hear your views.

The Community Empowerment Act was created to provide community bodies with legal rights, including extending the right to buy land and buildings, participation in decision-making, and the right to make asset transfer requests to public bodies for land and buildings. HES is included in the Act as a public body with delegated responsibility for properties in care of Scottish Ministers.  As the lead public body for the historic environment, they also have an important role in utilising the new legislation to enable communities’ to engage with, celebrate, and protect their historic environment.

As of 23rd January, responsibilities under Part 5 of the Act – regarding Asset Transfer Requests (ATR) – came into force.  In support of this, HES have published Interim Policy, Procedure and Guidance as well as their Register of Assets (applicable under the Act) on the Community Empowerment section of the HES Website, which provides further information on their role in relation to community empowerment.

Historic Environment Scotland will be seeking views on the interim policy and guidance over an eight-week long a public consultation, which opens on Monday 30th January.

Further information on how to provide your views will be available on HES’s consultation webpage next week.