Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities (DfC) Historic Environment Division (HED) has issued ‘Conservation Principles: Guidance for the sustainable management of the historic environment in Northern Ireland’, supported by ‘Applying the Conservation Principles’.
Iain Greenway, Director, Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities writes: [summarised]
…. In 2021, DfC Historic Environment Division (HED) ran a public consultation (13 August – 08 October) on its draft ‘Conservation Principles: Guidance for the sustainable management of the historic environment in Northern Ireland’.
Following this consultation and review, HED authored a companion document entitled ‘Applying the Conservation Principles’ and finalised the initial ‘Conservation Principles’ guidance document. These documents are now publicly available…
We trust you will find the guidance beneficial in your endeavours, and encourage you to share with anyone who has an interest in our historic environment.
DfC writes in the Conservation Principles:
… Our historic environment is constantly changing, but each part of it represents a finite resource. The process of managing change to a heritage asset and its setting must be carried out in ways that best sustain its significance and retain character, distinctiveness, local identity and quality of the places in which we live and work.
What are conservation principles?
The ‘Conservation Principles’ guidance sets out a best practice conservation framework for all aspects of decision making affecting our historic environment.
Part 1 ‘Conservation Principles’ Guidance for the sustainable management of the historic environment in Northern Ireland’ sets out the six key guiding conservation principles:
- Principle 1 – the historic environment is of value to us all
- Principle 2 – everyone should be able to participate in sustaining the historic environment
- Principle 3 – understanding the significance of heritage assets is vital
- Principle 4 – heritage assets shall be managed to sustain their significance
- Principle 5 – decisions about change shall be reasonable, transparent and consistent
- Principle 6 – documenting and learning from decisions is essential
It also explains how significance is central to conservation, how to assess it, and use it as a tool to manage change.
Part 2 ‘Applying the Conservation Principles’ Guidance for the sustainable management of the historic environment in Northern Ireland’ sets out the different types of changes impacting a heritage asset. It explains how the conservation principles can guide decision making for each change, to achieve best conservation outcomes.
See the Conservation Principles guidance
See more at Read more….
