HERITAGE COUNTS 2006: COMMUNITIES AND

HERITAGE

Dr Andy Brown, Chair

ABOUT THE FORUM

Consortium of some 20 organisations with shared agenda:

Broadening access and inclusion, championed by EH

Collecting evidence of need and benefit, championed by HLF

Modernising sector skills and working culture, championed by Heritage Link

Supporting maintenance and repairs, championed by the HHA.

Unlocking the potential of local places, championed by the NT

WHAT IS HERITAGE COUNTS?

• Produced by English Heritage on behalf of the South East Historic Environment Forum

• Suite of nine regional documents, a full national report and a dedicated website (www.heritagecounts.org.uk)

• Annual themed audit of the state of the South East’s historic environment

COMMUNITIES AND HERITAGE

Why this theme in 2006?

• The Power of Place and its impact on historic environment management at a local and national level.

• Links between people and places becoming ever more important.

• Growth in the South East needs to be truly sustainable, retaining character and distinctiveness as a key contribution to the quality of life

VALUING

• Bringing communities together through shared understanding and creating a sense of belonging.

• Widening definition; value placed on all aspects of our heritage

• Unprecedented levels of public interest in heritage

• Enhancing its role at the centre of community life

VALUING – A CASE STUDY

Queenborough and Rushenden, Isle of Sheppey, Kent – A community discovering its roots for the first time.

PARTICIPATING

• One of the principal outputs of placing a value on heritage.

• 76% attended at least one historic environment site during 2005

• 44% visited at least one museum or gallery.

• Attendance by DCMS-defined priority groups is lower

• The sector is increasing participation through various projects

PARTICIPATING – A CASE STUDY

Cobham Park, Kent – A model approach to landscape conservation on the edge of the Thames Gateway growth area.

ENGAGING

• More than just visiting a heritage site. It is about actively helping to manage the historic environment resource.

• Taking Part survey indicates there are many more active volunteers supporting the sector than previously thought.

• The National Trust is the largest heritage charity and has a voluntary workforce of 7,500 in the SE region alone.

• The historic environment is also managed and protected by local people engaging with the planning system on behalf of their community.

• 39 Historic Environment Champions play a vital role

ENGAGING – CASE STUDIES

Polesden Lacey Festival – organised in its entirety by voluntary effort.

Yateley Parish – local community creating a Parish Plan, carrying our conservation work and archiving local history.

Cllr Chantal Wilson has secured the adoption of a planning policy that recognises the important of locally listed buildings.

Local residents of the Caversham Lock area in Reading have campaigned to save the Grade II listed Kings Meadow Baths.

REGENERATING

• The contribution of the historic environment to regeneration is widely accepted.

• HLF has awarded almost £11m to the historic environment in 37 areas in need of economic and social regeneration.

• Finding viable economic uses for heritage assets is the key to successful regeneration

• New buildings in historic areas, if well designed, leave a legacy as a new layer of heritage for the future.

REGENERATING – CASE STUDIES

Regeneration, conversion and sensitive new design combine to create the Oxford Castle Regeneration Project.

Royal Clarence Yard in Gosport has been converted to provide new homes.

A Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme was carried out in Bexhill, as was full renovation and repair of the De La Warr Pavilion.

CONCLUSIONS

• Heritage Counts has many best practice case studies as well as all the vital statistics about the historic environment of our region in 2006.

• The work of the voluntary sector and of local people is vital to the conservation of the historic environment.

• We urge the voluntary sector to make use of the report this year. We hope it will help support your work by underscoring your vital contribution to the efforts of the sector as a whole.

REMINDER – PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE REGIONAL

REPORT SUMMARY HERE TODAY

FULL DATA TABLES AND REGIONAL ANALYSIS REPORTS

AVAILABLE AS WEB DOCUMENTS ONLINE AT

www.heritagecounts.org.uk

QUESTIONS?