World Heritage Sites are described by UNESCO as exceptional places of ‘outstanding universal value’ and ‘belonging to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located’.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to protect and preserve such sites through an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, drawn up in 1972
Scottish Ministers identify and put forward sites to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for nomination.
This dataset includes both the legal designation and buffer zone boundaries of the World Heritage Sites in Scotland enscribed by UNESCO as well as non-statutory sensitive areas for planning advice. Once a World Heritage Site is inscribed, under the Convention, member states have a duty to protect, conserve and present such sites for future generations.St Kilda: created from Ordnance Survey Boundary Line (originally by Scottish Natural Heritage)
Edinburgh, Old and New Towns: created by onscreen digitisation against 1:2500 Ordnance Survey Landline from original georeferenced image from Management Plan.
The Heart of Neolithic Orkney: site boundary created from original scheduled areas at 1:10,000. Site buffer zone and sensitive area created by onscreen digitisation against ordnance Survey 1:25,000 mapping.
New Lanark: Site boundary and buffer zone created by onscreen digitisation against georeferenced maps from Management Plan at 1:25,000.
Antonine Wall: site boundary and buffer created by onscreen digitisation against Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 mapping.
Forth Bridge: site boundary created by onscreen digitisation against Ordnance Survey 1:1,250 mapping.