The Scottish Government

Title

State of Scotland's historic buildings, monuments and environment.

National Indicator/Target

Improve the state of Scotland's historic buildings, monuments and environment.

Brief Description

The indicator will provide a measure of the state of Scotland's historic environment. Monitoring trends over time will show how well the historic environment is being preserved and cared for.

Strategic Objective(s) to Which Indicator Relates

The indicator informs progress towards a Greener Scotland by measuring the degree to which the nation's historic environment is safeguarded for future generations. Meeting the target will involve the Scottish Government and Historic Scotland working in partnership.

Greener Scotland:

• We value and enjoy our environment and protect it and enhance it for future generations.
• On climate change, the built heritage is a non-renewable resource with significant embodied energy which should be conserved ( i.e. through sensitive re-use of traditional buildings)
• On sustainable places, preserving the historic, as well as the natural, environment enhances civic pride and social responsibility.

The indicator also informs progress towards a Wealthier and Fairer Scotland.

Wealthier and Fairer Scotland:

• Scotland's historic environment is a key attraction for domestic and overseas visitors.
• The historic environment provides employment through tourism and through the management and conservation of the resource.
• The historic environment plays a key role in regenerating places and communities.

More Detailed Definitions

Definitions of Keywords

Final definitions to be agreed once indicator is developed. Interim definitions are as follows:

• Historic buildings refer to listed buildings which are 'buildings of special architectural or historic interest' -see Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 (c. 9)
• Historic monuments refer to ancient monuments which are scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.
• Historic environment refers to "any or all of the structures and places in Scotland of historic, archaeological or architectural interest or importance," Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc (Scotland) Act, 2003. A fuller definition is set out in "Scottish Historic Environment Policy 1" available at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/policyandguidance/sheps/shep1.htm

Evidence Source

Scotland's Historic Environment Audit, drawing on relevant government research and statistics.

Baseline and Past Trends

This is a new indicator hence trend data are not available.

Historic Scotland has concluded an audit of available data on the historic environment (the condition of physical assets, how we manage and resource them, and what social and economic benefits accrue). This data survey will inform a decision in early 2008 on detailed indicators for the future audit of the sector's actual performance in these areas. When those detailed indicators are agreed, Historic Scotland can develop an overarching indicator and define the baseline.

Methodology

Overarching Indicator is under development (see comments in Section B: Baseline and Past Trends).

Data Ownership and Quality Assurance

Scotland's Historic Environment Audit, undertaken by Historic Scotland, is not a National Statistics publication.

However, it will draw on government research and statistics to provide data.

Publication of Data

A Review of Existing Information for Scotland's Historic Environment Audit will be published in December 2007. It will be available in hard copy and from the audit website at www.heritageaudit.org.uk

Dates for future publication of data are still to be agreed.