New guide for building work

NEW guidance aimed at helping people carry out work on listed buildings or homes in a "historic environment", such as Edinburgh's Old Town, has been launched by Historic Scotland.

The 14 guidance notes will replace the Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas, published in 1998.

The new notes, available online, are more concise than the previous guidance and include information on windows, extensions and demolition, as well as two entirely new topics, setting and microrenewables.

Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said: "I welcome the launch of these notes. They streamline the planning system by providing easier access to guidance and a focus on key principles, rather than detailed and proscriptive information."