Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1972 (repealed 27.5.1997)

Buildings of special architectural or historic interestS

52 Lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest.S

(1)For the purposes of this Act and with a view to the guidance of. . . F1 planning authorities in the performance of their functions under this Act in relation to buildings of special architectural or historic interest, the Secretary of State shall compile lists of such buildings, or approve, with or without modifications, such lists compiled by other persons or bodies of persons, and may amend any list so compiled or approved.

(2)In considering whether to include a building in a list compiled or approved under this section, the Secretary of State may take into account not only the building itself but also—

(a)any respect in which its exterior contributes to the architectural or historic interest of any group of buildings of which it forms part; and

(b)the desirability of preserving, on the ground of its architectural or historic interest, any feature of the building consisting of a man-made object or structure fixed to the building or forming part of the land and comprised within the curtilage of the building.

(3)Before compiling or approving, with or without modifications, any list under this section, or amending any list thereunder the Secretary of State shall consult with such persons or bodies of persons as appear to him appropriate as having special knowledge of, or interest in, buildings of architectural or historic interest.

(4)As soon as may be after any list has been compiled or approved under this section, or any amendments of such a list have been made, a copy of so much of the list as relates to the district of [F2any regional, general or district planning authority within the meaning of Part IX of the M1Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973] or the local authority for the purposes of the Housing (Scotland) Acts 1966 to 1969, or of so much of the amendments as relates thereto, as the case may be, certified by or on behalf of the Secretary of State to be a true copy thereof, shall be deposited with the clerk of that authority.

(5)As soon as may be after the inclusion of any building in a list under this section, whether on the compilation or approval of the list or by the amendment thereof, or as soon as may be after any such list has been amended by the exclusion of any building therefrom, the. . . F1 planning authority concerned in whose district the building is situated, on being informed of the fact by the Secretary of State, shall serve a notice in the prescribed form on every owner, lessee and occupier of the building, stating that the building has been included in, or excluded from, the list, as the case may be.

(6)The Secretary of State shall keep available for public inspection, free of charge at reasonable hours and at a convenient place, copies of all lists and amendments of lists compiled, approved or made by him under this section; and every authority with whose clerk copies of any list or amendments are deposited under this section shall similarly keep available copies of so much of any such list or amendment as relates to buildings within their area.

(7)In this Act “listed building” means a building which is for the time being included in a list compiled or approved by the Secretary of State under this section; [F3and, for the purposes of the provisions of this Act relating to listed buildings and building preservation notices, the following shall be treated as part of the building—

(a)any object or structure fixed to the building;

(b)any object or structure within the curtilage of the building which, although not fixed to the building, forms part of the land and has done so much before 1st July 1948.]

(8)Every building which immediately before 3rd August 1970 was subject to a building preservation order under section 27 of the Act of 1947 but was not then included in a list compiled or approved under section 28 of that Act, shall be deemed to be a listed building; but the Secretary of State may at any time direct, in the case of any building, that this subsection shall no longer apply to it and the. . . F1 planning authority in whose district the building is situated, on being notified of the Secretary of State’s direction, shall give notice of it to the owner, lessee and occupier of the building.

(9)Before giving a direction under subsection (8) of this section in relation to a building, the Secretary of State shall consult with the. . . F1 planning authority and with the owner, lessee and occupier of the building.

53 Control of works for demolition, alteration or extension of listed buildings S

(1)Subject to this Part of this Act, if a person executes or causes to be executed any works for the demolition of a listed building or for its alteration or extension in any manner which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest, and the works are not authorised under [F4subsection (2) of this section], he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2)Works for the demolition of a listed building, or for its alteration or extension, are authorised under this Part of this Act only if—

(a)the. . . F5 planning authority or the Secretary of State have granted written consent (in this Act referred to as “listed building consent”) for the execution of the works and the works are executed in accordance with the terms of the consent and of any conditions attached to the consent under section 54 of this Act; and

(b)in the case of demolition, notice of the proposal to execute the works has been given to the Royal Commission and thereafter either—

(i)for a period of at least three months following the grant of listed building consent, and before the commencement of the works, reasonable access to the building has been made available to members or officers of the Commission for the purpose of recording it; or

(ii)the Commission have, by their Secretary or other officer of theirs with authority to act on the Commission’s behalf for the purposes of this section, stated in writing that they have completed their recording of the building or that they do not wish to record it.

[F6(2A)If written consent is granted by the planning authority or the Secretary of State for the retention of works for the demolition, alteration or extension of a listed building which have been executed without consent under subsection (2) of this section, the works are authorised under this Part of this Act from the grant of the consent under this subsection.]

(3)In subsection (2) of this section “the Royal Commission” means the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland; but the Secretary of State may, by order provide that the said subsection shall, in the case of works executed or to be executed on or after such date as may be specified in the order, have effect with the substitution for the reference to the Royal Commission of a reference to such other body as may be so specified.

[F7(3A)Consent under subsection (2) or (2A) of this section is referred to in this Part of this Act as “building consent”.]

(4)Without prejudice to subsection (1) of this section, if a person executing or causing to be executed any works in relation to a listed building under a listed building consent fails to comply with any condition attached to the consent under section 54 of this Act, he shall be guilty of an offence.

[F8(5)A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding £20,0, or both; or

(b)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine, or both;

and in determining the amount of any fine to be imposed on a person convicted of an offence under this section, the court shall in particular have regard to any financial benefit which has accrued or appears likely to accrue to him in consequence of the offence.]

[F9(6)In proceedings for an offence under this section it shall be a defence to prove the following matters—

(a)that works to the building were urgently necessary in the interests of safety or health or for the preservation of the building;

(b)that it was not practicable to secure safety or health or, as the case may be, the preservation of the building by works of repair or works for affording temporary support or shelter;

(c)that the works carried out were limited to the minimum measures immediately necessary, and

(d)that notice in writing justifying in detail the carrying out of the works was given to the planning authority as soon as reasonably practicable.]

54 Provisions supplementary to s. 53.S

(1)Section 53 of this Act shall not apply to works for the demolition, alteration or extension of—

(a)an ecclesiastical building which is for the time being used for ecclesiastical purposes or would be so used but for the works; or

[F10(b)a building for the time being included in the Schedule of monuments compiled and maintained under section 1 of the M2Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979].

For the purposes of this subsection, a building used or available for use by a minister of religion wholly or mainly as a residence from which to perform the duties of his office shall be treated as not being an ecclesiastical building.

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F11

(3)In considering whether to grant planning Permission for development which [F12affects a listed building or its setting], and in considering whether to grant listed building consent for any works, the. . . F13 planning authority or the Secretary of State, as the case may be, shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building [F14or its setting] or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

[F15(4)Listed building consent may be granted subject to conditions; and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of this subsection, the conditions may] include conditions with respect to—

(a)the preservation of particular features of the building, either as part of it or after severance therefrom;

(b)the making good, after the works are completed, of any damage caused to the building by the works;

(c)the reconstruction of the building or any part of it following the execution of any works, with the use of original materials so far as practicable and with such alterations of the interior of the building as may be specified in the conditions.

[F16(4A)Listed building consent may be granted subject to a condition reserving specified details of the works (whether or not set out in the application) for subsequent approval by the planning authority or, in the case of consent granted by the Secretary of State, specifying whether the reserved details are to be approved by the planning authority or by him.]

[F17(5)In granting a listed building consent a planning authority may attach to the consent a condition that no demolition of the listed building shall take place until either or both of the following requirements have been met—

(a)an agreement for the regulation of the development of the site of the listed building has been made and recorded under section 50 of this Act;

(b)the planning authority are satisfied that contracts have been placed either—

(i)for the redevelopment of the site; or

(ii)for its conversion to an acceptable open space,

in accordance with a current planning permission.]

(6)Part I of Schedule 10 to this Act shall have effect with respect to applications to. . . F13 planning authorities for listed building consent, the reference of such applications to the Secretary of State and appeals against decisions on such applications; and Part II of that Schedule shall have effect with respect to the revocation of listed building consent by a. . . F13 planning authority or the Secretary of State.

[F1854A Limit on duration of listed building consent.S

(1)Any listed building consent granted after the commencement of this section shall be granted subject to a condition that works permitted by that consent shall be commenced within such period as the planning authority may specify in the consent.

(2)If no time limit is specified in any grant of listed building consent under subsection (1) above, the grant shall be deemed to have been made subject to a condition that works in terms thereof shall be commenced with 5 years from the date of the grant.

(3)Any grant of listed building consent made prior to 1st January 1980 which does not contain such a condition as is mentioned in subsection (1) above shall be deemed to have been granted subject to a condition that works in terms thereof shall be commenced within 3 years of the commencement of this section.

(4)Any grant of listed building consent made on or after 1st January 1980 but before the commencement of this section which does not contain such a condition as is mentioned in subsection (1) above shall be deemed to have been made subject to a condition that works in terms thereof shall be commenced within 5 years of the commencement of this section.]

[F19(5)Nothing in this section applies to any consent to the retention of works granted under section 53(2A) of this Act.]]

54B [F20Date of listed building consent.S

The date of the granting or of the refusal of an application for listed building consent shall be the date on which the notice of the planning authority’s decision bears to have been signed on behalf of the authority.

[F2154C Intimation of notices etc. affecting listed buildings.S

(1)Subject to subsection (2) below, where a local authority—

(a)have, under or by virtue of any enactment, served a notice requiring any person to show cause why a listed building should not conform to the building regulations; or

(b)have, under or by virtue of any enactment, served a notice or made an order requiring—

(i)the demolition of such a building; or

(ii)the carrying out of works affecting such a building; or

(c)propose (whether under or by virtue of any enactment or otherwise) to carry out emergency works or demolitions affecting such a building,

they shall forthwith give written intimation of the notice, order, or proposal, as the case may be, to the planning authority:

(2)Where the safety of the public requires that any demolition or works be carried out without such delay as would result from compliance with the provisions of subsection (1) above, the intimation (which may, in such a case, initially be oral) shall be given as long before the commencement of the demolition or works as is consistent with that requirement.]

[F2254D Application for variation or discharge of conditions.S

(1)Any person interested in a listed building with respect to which listed building consent has been granted subject to conditions may apply to the planning authority for the variation or discharge of the conditions.

(2)The application shall indicate what variation or discharge of conditions is applied for and the provisions of Part I of Schedule 10 to this Act apply to such an application as they apply to an application for listed building consent.

(3)On such an application the planning authority or, as the case may be, the Secretary of State may vary or discharge the conditions attached to the consent, and may add new conditions consequential upon the variation or discharge, as they or he think fit.]

55 Acts causing or likely to result in damage to listed buildings.S

(1)Where a building, not being a building excluded by section 54(1) of this Act from the operation of section 53 of this Act, is included in a list compiled or approved under section 52 of this Act, then, if any person who, but for this section, would be entitled to do so, does or permits the doing of any act which causes or is likely to result in damage to the building (other than an act for the execution of excepted works) and he does or permits it with the intention of causing such damage, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F23level 3 on the standard scale].

(2)In subsection (1) of this section “excepted works” means works authorised by planning permission granted or deemed to be granted in pursuance of an application under this Act and works for which listed building consent has been given under this Act.

(3)Where a person convicted of an offence under this section fails to take such reasonable steps as may be necessary to prevent any damage or further damage resulting from the offence, he shall be guilty of a further offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F24£40] for each day on which the failure continues.

56 Building preservation notice in respect of building not listed.S

(1)If it appears to the. . . F25 planning authority, in the case of a building in their district which is not a listed building, that it is of special architectural or historic interest and is in danger of demolition or of alteration in such a way as to affect its character as such, they may (subject to subsection (2) of this section) serve on the owner, lessee and occupier of the building a notice (in this section referred to as a “building preservation notice”)—

(a)stating that the building appears to them to be of special architectural or historic interest and that they have requested the Secretary of State to consider including it in a list compiled or approved under section 52 of this Act; and

(b)explaining the effect of subsections (3) and (4) of this section.

(2)a building preservation notice shall not be served in respect of an excepted building, that is to say—

(a)an ecclesiastical building which is for the time being used for ecclesiastical purposes; or

[F26(b)a building for the time being included in the Schedule of monuments compiled and maintained under section 1 of the M3Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979].

For the purposes of this subsection, a building used or available for use by a minister of religion wholly or mainly as a residence from which to perform the duties of his office shall be treated as not being an ecclesiastical building.

(3)a building preservation notice shall come into force as soon as it has been served on the owner, lessee and occupier of the building to which it relates and shall remain in force for six months from the date when it is served or, as the case may be, last served; but it shall cease to be in force if, before the expiration of that period, the Secretary of State either includes the building in a list compiled or approved under section 52 of this Act or notifies the. . . F25 planning authority in writing that he does not intend to do so.

(4)While a building preservation notice is in force with respect to a building, the provisions of this Act (other than section 55) shall have effect in relation to it as if the building were a listed building; and if the notice ceases to be in force (otherwise than by reason of the building being included in a list compiled or approved under the said section 52), the provisions of Part III of Schedule 10 to this Act shall have effect with respect to things done or occurring under the notice or with reference to the building being treated as listed.

(5)If, following the service of a building preservation notice, the Secretary of State notifies the. . . F25 planning authority that he does not propose to include the building in a list compiled or approved under section 52 of this Act, the authority—

(a)shall forthwith give notice of the Secretary of State’s decision to the owner, lessee and occupier of the building; and

(b)shall not, within the period of twelve months beginning with the date of the Secretary of State’s notification, serve another such notice in respect of the said building.

(6)If it appears to the. . . F25 planning authority to be urgent that a building preservation notice should come into force, they may, instead of serving the notice on the owner, lessee and occupier of the building to which it relates, affix the notice conspicuously to some object on the building; and this shall be treated for all the purposes of this section and of Schedule 10 to this Act as service of the said notice, in relation to which subsection (1)(b) of this section shall be taken to include a reference to this subsection.

[F2756AA Power to restrict exemption of certain ecclesiastical buildings.S

(1)The Secretary of State may by order provide for restricting or excluding in such cases as may be specified in the order the operation in relation to ecclesiastical buildings of sections 54(1) and 56(2) of this Act (buildings excepted from provisions relating to listed buildings and building preservation notices).

(2)An order under this section may—

(a)make provision for buildings generally, for descriptions of building or for particular buildings;

(b)make different provision for buildings in different areas, for buildings of different religious faiths or denominations or according to the use made of the building;

(c)make such provision in relation to a part of a building (including, in particular, an object or structure falling to be treated as part of the building by virtue of section 52(7) of this Act) as may be made in relation to a building and make different provision for different parts of the same building;

(d)make different provision with respect to works of different descriptions or according to the extent of the works;

(e)make such consequential adaptations or modifications of the operation of any other provision of this Act, or of any instrument made under this Act, as appear to the Secretary of State to be appropriate.

(3)This section is without prejudice to the Church of Scotland Act M41921.]