Listed Buildings
Listed Building Consent
Conservation Areas
Conservation Area Character Appraisals
World Heritage Site
Is my building listed or in a conservation area?
Conservation Area Maps

Edinburgh's distinctive character is based on its topography, its architectural heritage and the unique form of its historic environment. Historic buildings and conservation areas are a vital part of this character. The quality, interest and substantial number of these in Edinburgh reflects its long history.

Listed Buildings are defined as Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest and are divided into 3 categories, A, B and C. Listed buildings range in scale from the Forth Rail Bridge to small statues such as Greyfriars Bobby, and large historic mansions to small domestic cottages.

The Statutory List for Edinburgh contains around 4,500 items. Many of the single items on the Statutory List are tenement blocks or terraces with many individual houses. Consequently there are approximately 22,000 separately owned properties which are Listed, the largest number in any British local authority area.

Listed Building Consent
If you are proposing to demolish, alter or extend your listed building, you may need listed building consent in addition to other consents.

It is important to remember that both the inside and outside of the listed building is protected by listed building status and also any building or structure within the grounds built before 1st July 1948

You can find out more about Listed Buildings by clicking here to view Historic Scotland's booklet Scotland's Listed Buildings.

Conservation Areas are Areas of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. There are 38 very diverse conservation areas in Edinburgh; including the medieval Old Town, the Georgian New Town, Victorian suburbs and former villages.

The Council has a duty to ensure the protection and enhancement of these areas and this is done through the application of statutory and non-statutory policies and guidance when dealing with new development.

Additional planning controls apply in conservation areas and development that would normally be classed as “ permitted development”, such as the formation of a hard standing for a car, requires planning permission. Article 4 Directions, which remove certain permitted development rights, also apply in several conservation areas and it is always best to write to us before proceeding with any work

The primary aim of the Council's conservation policies is to preserve the historic fabric and special character of the city and to ensure that changes, whether large or small, complement and add to its character. A further objective is to promote new architecture of the highest quality.

Conservation Area Character Appraisals provide a detailed assessment of the essential character of conservation areas. Their principal purposes are to define the key elements, essential features and special qualities that contribute to each areas architectural and historic interest, and to reinforce the Council’s policy objectives of promoting, protecting and enhancing the environment.

Click here to find out more about Character Appraisals.

World Heritage Site
Edinburgh's international importance as a historic city was recognised in December 1995, when the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town were inscribed on UNESCO'S List of World Heritage Sites. This represents international recognition that the historic centre of Edinburgh is of outstanding universal value and exceptional interest. Inscription as a world Heritage Site has no immediate consequences in terms of statutory protection.

Click here to find out more about the Edinburgh World Heritage Site.

Click here to link to the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust website.

If you have any questions about listed buildings or conservation areas, please contact the Planning Help Desk on 0131 529 3596, or write to CEC City Development Office, 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh EH1 1BJ. Alternatively you can email the Planning Help desk on helpdesk.planning@edinburgh.gov.uk

Click here for Historic Scotland’s website.

Is my building listed or in a conservation area?
You can find out if your building is a listed building or in a conservation area by following these instructions:

Click here to access the Planning & Building Control Portal home page.

Click View Planning Applications Online.
Click on Property Search (left of page).
Property Search Page – Select the Street Group then enter the Street Name and click Search.
Matching Properties Page – Search for required address and click on View Details of required property.
Selected Property – Click on Constraints (towards top of page).

Conservation Area Maps
You can view Conservation Areas in 2 formats by clicking on the links below. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you can download it for free from Adobe by clicking the yellow Acrobat button below.