Simple terms explainer

Councils are responsible for checking whether proposed developments could affect any important archaeological sites. Scottish Government policy is to protect and preserve archaeological sites and monuments, and their settings, in situ wherever feasible. Key to this are the Historic Environment Records, maintained by each Council for their region, which provide a baseline of known sites that help inform decision-making. Where preservation in situ is not possible, planning authorities should consider applying conditions to planning consents, listed building consents and conservation area consents to ensure that an appropriate level of excavation, recording, analysis, publication and archiving is carried out before and/or during development.