HES Confirms Plans to Refresh Planning Advice for Archaeology and Conservation Areas
BEFS has been actively engaging with its Members and Working Groups on the implications of the late 2025 withdrawal of 46 planning guidance publications by the Scottish Government.
The Planning and Architecture Publications Declutter statement by the Scottish Government explained its rationale for removing what it termed, “all dated national planning advice.”
BEFS Members have shared concerns about the implications of the withdrawal of two Planning Advice Notes in particular: PAN 2011/2: Planning and Archaeology, and PAN 71: Conservation Area Management.
BEFS Members including the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers (ALGAO) Scotland, the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and the Society of Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, have expressed concern that the withdrawal of PAN2/2011 is creating problems in the determination of planning applications with archaeological implications. In addition, the Conservation Officers Group, facilitated by BEFS, have reported difficulties in the management of conservation areas emerging from the withdrawal of PAN 71.
BEFS has been representing the views of its Members and Working Groups to policy-makers. We are now pleased to share the following update statement from Historic Environment Scotland’s Heritage Directorate.
Update on PAN 71: Conservation Area Management and PAN 2011/2: Planning and Archaeology
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has been liaising with the Scottish Government on the withdrawn Planning Advice Notes (PANs) that relate to the historic environment, including PAN 71: Conservation Area Management and PAN 2/2011: Planning and Archaeology. We have agreed with Scottish Government that HES will work with relevant stakeholders to develop updated guidance and advice covering these important subject areas.The withdrawal of these PANs provides an opportunity to refresh the guidance so that it references and reflects recent policy changes, including National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), and responds to the current and relevant issues facing decision makers. We also hope to align the updated guidance/practice notes with the refresh of the Historic Environment Policy for Scotland (HEPS), ensuring that future advice is clear, current and well connected to the wider policy context.Over the coming months, HES will be in touch with stakeholders to gather information and views on the current advice notes. This will help us understand which parts of the existing guidance remains useful, where further clarity may be needed, and what revisions that would be beneficial. We will also arrange workshops with key stakeholder groups to discuss the scope and content of the updated guidance. This would most likely take the form of a new Historic Environment advice note and will not result in an updated PAN.We are working directly with ALGAO Scotland on the guidance covering Planning and Archaeology and will work with the Conservation Officers Group (COG) to develop guidance for Conservation Areas.In the meantime, if you have any questions or queries, please contact the Heritage Policy Team at HES.
BEFS looks forward to working with HES, ALGAO Scotland, COG and other stakeholders on next steps.
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