01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC016139
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Operations cover all or most of Scotland
- Volunteers
- 1-50 volunteers
- Staff
- 3
- Postcode
- EH1 1EL
OSCR note: This SCIO was incorporated on 26/01/2026 as a result of the conversion of a charitable company (Company number: SC154563, company name: THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF RURAL SCOTLAND)
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
We campaign on a number of issues including protection and accessibility of landscapes and countryside, greater planning protection for Green Belts and stricter environmental standards for data centres and battery storage installations. We are actively involved in national policy development and advocacy, and we take the insights from our community support work and use them to change policy for the better. By working both “outside track” with communities and “inside track” with policymakers, we bridge the gap between lived experience and legislation. For example, last year brought a major success when all four long-running Green Belt community campaigns APRS had supported as test cases saw planning refused. Evidence from these cases directly influenced stronger protections for Green Belts in the Planning System, securing greater safeguards nationwide after years of APRS campaigning. We partner with communities, grassroots campaigners, other charities, local authority, government
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of citizenship or community development
- the advancement of environmental protection or improvement
Beneficiaries
- No specific group, or for the benefit of the community
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
The organisation’s purposes are: ● The advancement of environmental protection or improvement. ● The advancement of community development. and ● The advancement of education. And in furtherance thereof: ● To protect Scotland’s countryside and rural landscapes, including settlements and built heritage, for the benefit and enjoyment of the public and communities, ensuring that decisions on land use respect, safeguard and, where possible, enhance the character and qualities of countryside and rural landscapes. ● To promote the designation, conservation, and management of protected landscapes ● To provide support, advice, information, training, and a point of connection and coordination for community representatives, and individuals (in each case) on the above matters . ● To undertake, support and co-ordinate work in furtherance of the above. Including (without limitation) research, education, advocacy, and investigations. ● To take such other lawful action as shall be calculated to promote the above purposes.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2025 | £129,929 | £104,662 | 3 | 7 May 2026 |
| 31 December 2024 | £154,486 | £164,440 | 3 | 4 June 2025 |
| 31 December 2023 | £105,900 | £233,651 | 3 | 30 May 2024 |
| 31 December 2022 | £137,605 | £158,024 | 3 | 28 June 2023 |
| 31 December 2021 | £214,053 | £140,789 | 3 | 1 July 2022 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, EDINBURGH
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.aprs.scot
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.