Scotland's Heritage Policy Launched

The historic environment is an asset to be valued, not a barrier to development.

That is one of the key messages in Scotland’s Historic Environment, launched on Friday by Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson MSP.

The strategic policies set out in the paper will sustain the best of the past and unlock the full potential of the historic environment to promote our ambitions for a better Scotland.

Speaking to an invited audience of key stakeholders, Ms Ferguson emphasised the importance of heritage to Scotland’s identity, economy and culture: “We have so much to be proud of and by properly and intelligently managing our historic environment in a dynamic way we continue to benefit from the achievements of past generations.

“Government will work to ensure that Scotland’s heritage is an asset we can all enjoy and benefits our country well into the future.”

Scotland’s Historic Environment is the keystone of a series of policy papers setting out Scottish Ministers’ commitment to preserving our most important monuments, buildings and landscapes

It was published following a public consultation and contributors were among those present at the launch this morning.

Ms Ferguson also announced that consultation on four more of the Scottish Historic Environment Policy series would begin shortly.

You can download the paper in full (PDF) thanks to  Historic Scotland's website.