ABSTRACT
The involvement of Historic Scotland in the country’s railway heritage is no different in principle from that in any other part of the built heritage. It is, for the most part, governed by the 1972 Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, though parts of other Acts also apply. To provide guidance to local authorities, and through them to owners and lessees of buildings, Historic Scotland publishes a Memorandum of Guidance, which spells out the legislation and provides a commentary on recommended practice in the conservation of listed buildings and of conservation areas. The legislation, as with the comparable Acts for England and Wales, provides for protection by listing and the designation of conservation areas, for control of change by listed building and conservation area consent, and for the award of grants for building repair.
