Why is this National Indicator important?
Our historic environment helps to define our nation. It can make a valuable contribution to the Government's wider agenda to create an aspiring, confident country with sustainable economic growth, confident communities, a vibrant and dynamic cultural life and unparalleled tourism opportunities.
Our measure of success will be to decrease the percentage of A-listed buildings on the Buildings At Risk Register (BARR). A-listed buildings are high-profile, important assets whose condition provides a good general indicator of the health of the wider historic environment. Government can work together with local authorities, private individuals and voluntary sector organisations to improve these buildings to a standard that removes them from BARR, and where appropriate, identify future viable uses for them.
What will influence this National Indicator?
The main influences are the state of the economy and how much owners (private, public sector and voluntary sector) invest in the repair and maintenance of their buildings, whether or not influenced by grants for repairs or maintenance. Access to traditional craft skills is also relevant in influencing how well A-listed properties are maintained.
What is the Government's role?
The Government sets policy for listing of buildings of special architectural or historic interest, promotes good practice in the care of buildings and funds the Scottish Civic Trust to maintain BARR. It works in partnership with local authorities and others to encourage positive action to remove buildings from BARR. Historic building repair grants are available to owners of listed buildings at serious risk from neglect or disrepair. Historic Scotland's repairs grants budget for 2008/9 is £13 million. The Government's Listed Building Consent policy provides listed buildings with statutory protection under the planning system. This allows the relevant planning authority to decide whether to allow owners to demolish, alter or extend a listed building.
How are we performing?
The Scottish Government has established a National Indicator to improve the state of Scotland's historic buildings, monuments and environment. Baseline national data for this indicator is now available for the first time, following systematic work to increase the coverage and reliability of the BARR (over 98% of the A-listed buildings/structures within Scotland have now been assessed).
The baseline data point relates to May 2009 and reveals that 8.7% of all A-listed buildings in Scotland are on the Buildings at Risk Register.
The BARR is currently available online and can be consulted at www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk.
Methodology
For more information see Scotland Performs Technical Note
For information on general methodological approach, please click here.
Who are our partners?
Local authorities
Scottish Civic Trust
Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC)
Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS)
Related Strategic Objective(s)
Smarter
Greener