Guide to Conversion of Traditional Buildings

2.0 Background to Guide to Conversion of Traditional Buildings

2.1 Guide for Practitioners 6 (2007)

This guidance is an update of the 2007 publication called ‘Guide for Practitioners 6: Conversion of Traditional Buildings’, which was written in response to difficulties that practitioners and verifiers were having in reaching agreement on the specification of measures that would enable conversion proposals for a traditionally constructed building to meet the standards. It recognised that the regulations were primarily written for new build construction, and meeting the standards was affecting the ability of buildings with traditional vapour-permeable construction to dissipate moisture and keep their historic fabric in good health.

Guide for Practitioners 6 (GP6) was also written in recognition of the contribution that traditional buildings make to Scotland’s cultural identity and the impact that a change of use could have on their appearance and interest. Although the principles of maintaining architectural and historic interest were well established for listed buildings, GP6 was ground-breaking in the way it gave formal recognition to the value of traditional buildings that weren’t protected in this way. It recommended that they should also be subject to good conservation practice in terms of preserving their character, and that the performance of their historic fabric should be properly understood and proposals designed to work in harmony with it.

Part 1 was called ‘Principles and Practice’ and set the context for Part 2 in the form of procedures, consents and policies, but also set out principles on the behaviour and characteristics of traditional buildings and their materials. Part 2 was called ‘Application of the Standards’ and considered the standards that were most relevant to conversion projects in traditional buildings under the headings of Structure, Fire, Environment, Safety, Noise and Energy. At the time of publication, GP6 had a unique place in HES’s suite of heritage management guidance in having the same standing as the Technical Handbooks.

2.2 Updating Guide for Practitioners 6

A Fatal Accident Inquiry was held following a very significant fire at the Cameron House Hotel in December 2017 that resulted in the loss of two lives. A key recommendation in Sherrif Thomas McCartney’s inquiry report of January 2023 was that:

“The Scottish Government should constitute an expert working group to more fully explore the special risks which existing hotels and similar premises may pose through the presence of hidden cavities or voids, varying standards of workmanships, age, and the variance from current standards and to consider revising the guidance provided by the Scottish Government and others”.

A Short Life Working Group was set up to consider the response to the Inquiry, and their final report was published in October 2023. The report recommended the formation of a Building and Fire Safety Expert Group to consider a number of issues including the above recommendation, and the revision of Guide for Practitioners 6 as an associated outcome.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division (BSD) set up a new partnership in 2024 to joint fund the updating of Guide for Practitioners 6. BSD carried out an initial review exercise to determine the extent of updating required, and the membership at the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) was invited to submit views on the 2007 guide and how they would like to see it updated.

As project lead and technical editor, HES invited practitioners and specialists to submit tenders for updating the six subject areas in the document. HES also convened expert panels to review the draft texts as they emerged during 2025. Around 35 reviewers, many of them busy practitioners who gave their time on a voluntary basis, joined specialist authors from BSD’s Technical Unit and representatives from Local Authority Building Standards Scotland and the Scottish Building Standards Hub.

Over 100 experts and support staff were involved in the development of the new guidance as appointed authors, volunteer advisers or through their roles at HES, BSD, RIAS, the Scottish Government, the Universities of Edinburgh and Strathclyde, and local authorities.

The review of Guide to Practitioners 6 included several fundamental changes including to the name, format and content of the guidance. The guidance is now titled Guide to Conversion of Traditional Buildings. The original two-part format has been retained but is now within one document which is published in digital form only. This means it will be searchable and can be updated at planned intervals considering changes to practice, legislation and policy, as well as feedback from users.

Changes to the content include a full review and update of Part 1 with new guidance on buildings definitions, sustainability in the historic environment, and an explanation of the behaviour of traditional building fabric that sets the remit for the guide. Part 2 has undergone a major review with updated guidance on sections 1 to 6 of the Technical Handbooks and a new chapter to cover section 7.

2.3 Further reading

• Historic Scotland (2010) Guide for Practitioners 7 Fire Safety management in Traditional Buildings
• Scottish Government (2023) Cameron House Hotel Fatal Accident Report