Rising seas and storms ‘put Scotland’s heritage sites at risk’

Changing weather patterns, including increased rainfall and temperature variability, are creating more water ingress and placing additional stress on historic masonry.

Scotland’s average temperature over the last decade was 1°C warmer than the 1961 to 1990 baseline, and winters were 25% wetter, intensifying the processes that crack and erode masonry. Future projections from Adaptation Scotland suggest typical winters could be warmer and wetter, while summers become hotter and drier, increasing risks of drought and wildfires.

Sea levels will continue to rise, and long-term projections show coastal flooding and erosion will intensify, threatening sites such as Skara Brae and Blackness Castle. Dynamic Coast research (2021) estimates that coastal erosion could put around £1.2 billion worth of property and infrastructure at risk along Scotland’s shores over the next 25 years.

Climate projections also indicate intense, heavy rainfall events will increase in both winter and summer, raising the risk of flash floods and structural damage. Changing weather patterns may accelerate decay in masonry buildings, while more variable and extreme weather will bring frequent storms and unpredictable conditions, disrupting access and increasing emergency repairs to buildings. 2025 has seen the highest number of weather-related site closures and access restrictions at HES properties in the past decade, with 281 so far this year.

HES is highlighting the huge challenges posed by the increasing rate and impact of climate change on heritage sites across Scotland as it seeks the public’s views on plans for the long-term management of the places and items it cares for. The organisation is actively identifying solutions for managing these challenges, which are set out in its draft Properties and Collections Strategy.

The organisation is calling on more people across the country to take part in the consultation, which is open until 23 January 2026. People are being asked to express their views on the proposed plans and changes to how HES could operate and manage the 300+ historic places, 43,000 objects, and 5 million archival records in its care.

HES is proposing to strengthen its response in the face of the accelerating impact of climate change, including a combination of management approaches to help mitigate its effects. As well as suggesting testing “innovative solutions,” the organisation has suggested its conservation principles must be more pragmatic, including necessary interventions as appropriate to further build resilience, such as interventions at wall heads, reinstatement of roofs and other water-shedding elements that may provide positive long-term outcomes.

According to Nathalie Lodhi, head of climate change at HES, specialists are already witnessing a shift in the type and scale of challenges facing historic sites: “Unroofed historic sites, like many of our properties in care, are more susceptible to the effects of climate change as they no longer shed water effectively, putting them at higher risk.

“More frequent and intense storms mean more emergency repairs and structural monitoring, while temperature variations lead to higher risk of mould or issues from humidity. It’s not a question of what climate change is doing to our historic environment, but how fast it’s happening.

“We know that we need to use the latest data we have to understand the full extent of current and future climate change impacts on our sites and crucially, use these to inform our long-term decisions.”

Recognising the importance of planning its response to climate change now, HES is currently consulting on its draft Properties and Collections Strategy: Towards Sustainable Stewardship. In it, HES sets out proposed plans on how it will:

• Focus care on the places and objects that need it most and have the greatest potential to help people and communities.
• Make decisions based on evidence, expert advice, including public input.
• Work with others to protect and use these places in ways that benefit everyone.
• Respond to climate change and rising costs with practical, long-term planning.
• Support traditional skills and local jobs.
• Improve access, learning, and visitor experiences.

HES says the long-term priorities of the strategy are focusing on the cultural assets in its care that have both the greatest conservation need and the greatest potential to make a difference to people and place, ensuring Scotland’s most significant cultural assets in a national context are conserved and sustainably managed for future generations. Public feedback through the consultation will help refine and shape the final version of the Properties and Collections strategy.

Dr David Mitchell, director of cultural assets at HES, stressed the importance of public engagement in shaping the final strategy: “Our historic environment is a huge part of what makes Scotland so special. We already know that we need to take action to protect it for future generations, but we need input from people across Scotland to help us identify what we should prioritise and ensure our strategy reflects the needs of local communities.

“That’s why we’re urging everyone – whether they work in the heritage sector or simply feel an affinity with Scottish culture – to take part in our consultation.

“We have small window of opportunity to find ways to shape a new, positive future for the properties and collections. We want to hear from people about how we face up to the huge challenges we face, but also how we grasp positive opportunities. Your voice matters to us. Now is the time to make it heard.”

The consultation is available now on CitizenSpace and will remain open until 23 January 2026. The final strategy is expected to be published in spring 2026.