Tangible and Intangible

heritage of cities -
problems and issues: UK
Perspective
24 February 2014

Dr Nafees Meah
Director , RCUK India
Arts and Humanities Research
Council

History:
 AHRC Royal Charter April 2005
 1 of 7 Research Councils
Scope:
 27% of research-active academic
community in UK within AHRC remit
 Approximately 50 disciplines/sub-disciplines
 AHRC receives 2.8% of the research budget
 Arts and humanities research received
highest 4* in 2008 RAE
AHRC Strategy 2013-18: The Human
World: Arts and Humanities in out Times

Priorities include:
Strengthen international
research in the arts and
humanities through
strategic research
partnerships
Increase researcher
mobility
Increase participation in
co-funded international
programmes
AHRC Research on Heritage
 AHRC has led on developing EU Strategic
Research Agenda (SRA) on tangible,
intangible and digital heritage. Themes are:
– Developing a reflective society
– Connecting people with heritage
– Creating knowledge
– Safeguarding our cultural heritage
resources
 Flagship - AHRC/EPSRC Science and
Heritage Programme 2007-14
 EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training on
Science and Engineering in the Arts,
Heritage and Archaeology (UCL Bartlett
School)
 AHRC Centre for Doctoral Training on
Heritage (Hull University)
Legal framework for protection of English built
environment (system of planning consents)

Town and Department of

Country
Listed buildings Communities and
Planning Act
1990 Grade I Local Government
Grade II*
Grade II

English Heritage
Planning(Listed
Buildings and
(Department of Culture,
Media and Sports)
Conservation
Areas) Act 1990
Conservation
Areas
special architectural Local Planning
or historic interest…
Authority
Body of desirable to preserve
or enhance
Case Law
 Urban conservation is centrally concerned with
preservation of buildings and artefacts either
individually, in groups for local areas…indeed, for
whole towns and cities. However, the motivation
and justification for this process usually invoking
the state intervention of some kind, is tied up with
a range of aesthetic, socio-cultural, ideological
and economic rationales which vary from place to
place (Ashworth and Tunbridge (1990))
 Problems and Issues
 Requires state intervention but often a “lower order” issue
for many planning authorities
 Tension between development to meet economic and
social needs of the community and conserving the built
and natural environment
 Energy efficiency and sustainable conservation – UK
building stock
 Exclusion of poor from designated conservation areas
 ‘Authorized heritage discourse’ (AHD): social construction
of tangible and intangible ‘heritage’ – who decides?