Antonine Wall to be protected from future development

Glasgow world heritage site the Antonine Wall is to be protected for future generations as councillors signed off on updated safeguard planning rules.

The Roman fortification ran between the Firth of Forth and Firth of Clyde, through the city, and its ruins remain today. Made from turf, it was the most northerly Roman frontier.

The guidance means building work would be restricted near the remnants of the 2000-year-old wall to make sure it is preserved.

The supplementary guidance said: “The wall continues to be subject to considerable development pressures and given its significance it is imperative that the remaining sections – whether visible on the ground or not – are safeguarded from inappropriate development.”

The 60 kilometre Antonine Wall is located in five local authority areas: Glasgow City Council, East Dunbartonshire Council, Falkirk Council, North Lanarkshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council.

Glasgow City Council owns a stretch at Cleddans Burn.

Councillors agreed to take the necessary steps to proceed towards adopting the supplementary (planning) guidance at Glasgow’s city administration committee on Thursday.

Councillor Martha Wardrop, Scottish Greens, said: “Thank you for the report it has been a long time in the making. ”

She asked about any partnership working with the Hunterian Museum, which displays distance slab stones from the wall and other information.

A council official said: “This is the planning policy that controls development within the areas at the wall. The policy also covers promotion and education – that is being done jointly by the five authorities.

“There is a management plan, which is currently being refreshed and will take forward some of those actions about actual proactive work along the wall. That includes potentially any archaeological digs and looks at interpretation such as sculptures which have been put in at various points with public access.”

She said work with the museum would come under that education and research element of the policy.

The Antonine Wall was designated a world heritage site in July 2008 and is managed and cared for by Historic Environment Scotland as well as the local councils.

The local authorities consulted on the draft guidance.