Have your say

From 9 February to 2 March 2023, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) sought views on our proposal to designate Stobs Camp and associated sites as scheduled monuments.

The sites are nationally important monuments that were found to meet our criteria for designation: Criteria. Stobs Camp is a site that makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the military heritage of Scotland, in particular the history of early 20th century military training and First World War internment and imprisonment.

Further details can be accessed on our Heritage Portal: Stobs Camp - Portal.

We received 87 responses which contributed to our knowledge of the monument and also provided insight into how the Camp and associated sites are valued.

An overwhelming majority of the responses were in favour of designating Stobs Camp as a scheduled monument. The following table is a brief summary of the survey results, with focus on the key three questions related to our assessment of the site using the selection guidance for scheduled monuments to decide whether the sites were of national importance.

We received additional comments, the overwhelming majority were supportive of the proposal and recognising the importance of the Camp. The Report on Handling on our Heritage Portal (linked above) provides the responses where a query was raised, along with our answers and information. Some comments from respondents did not raise a query but offered their insight and opinion. Some of these comments include:

•  "The site is not only of national but also of international significance; possibly the best preserved WWI POW camp in the world."
• "Have visited the site and feel it is an important reminder of history of the area."
•  "Stobs is unique as a record of Scotland’s contribution to two world wars. It has a completeness that needs to be preserved and more widely shared."
• "Comprehensive and accurate account of Stobs Camp."
• "The site is of huge historic significance. Many thousands of troops trained here and they also contributed to the economy of Hawick."
• "It should be scheduled because of its historical significance and state  of preservation."
• "The report shows how the remains of the camp make Stobs a rare survival among military sites."
• "I was impressed at the work already done to investigate and preserve.  I feel that scheduling the site will help to consolidate the (largely) voluntary effort already undertaken on the ground."
• "The camp is of great importance to descendants of internees." 

After considering the comments received during the consultation, we have now scheduled Stobs Camp and associated sites as nationally important monuments.

Download the Report of Handling from our Heritage Portal: Stobs Camp - Designation. 

We invited feedback on a report we commissioned from Lichfields UK: Battlefields Planning Best Practice. The Lichfields Report is available on the HES website.

We received 29 responses, covering the conclusion of the report and its recommendations. Thank you to everyone who responded.

You can see what people said by downloading the summary report (see below). 

We are now analysing the views we have received.

Your feedback will help to inform our next steps, including any actions we propose to take in relation to the role of Historic Environment Scotland, or changes we recommend to others with responsibilities in the planning system. 

From 27 September to 18 October 2022, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) sought views on our proposal to designate buildings at Ardbeg Distillery at category A and C.  

Ardbeg Distillery was registered as a legal commercial distillery in 1815 but was known to be in production from the late 18th century – early historical whisky records indicate spirit was being illicitly produced at Ardbeg from 1798. Some of the buildings at the distillery date from 1815 with later 19th century additions and expansion. 

Ardbeg Distillery is a very early surviving example of a whisky distillery in Scotland with its core buildings amongst the five oldest surviving examples in the country. The level of survival of its original distillery buildings is rare within the building type. This site is remarkable because it has been in almost continuous use since the early 19th century.

We received no responses to the Citizens Space consultation.  

The proposer and local authority had no substantive comments. The owner raised a query regarding potential future Listed Building Consent and the planning process once Listed. An online meeting was held between HES, the owner and the local authority and all parties were content with no further issues raised.

We have now listed the buildings at category A and C. The listed building records are available on our Heritage Portal (LB52611 and LB52613), where the final Report of Handling (LB52611 and LB52613) is also available.     

Our historic environment is always changing. Listing does not prevent change, but it does allow for a structure’s special character to be taken into account when changes are proposed.