14 C O N T E X T 1 0 8 : M A R C H 2 0 0 9 Agencies Coordinating Group research Social impacts of heritage-led regeneration Heritage can play a key role in regeneration, and for a number of years it has been credited with bringing new life to rundown areas. There is a need to demonstrate that the overall effects can be much wider. Research commissioned by the Agencies Coordinating Group (ACG, a coalition of historic environment organisations incorporating the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Civic Trust, the IHBC, the Association of Preservation Trusts, and the Prince’s Regeneration Trust) examined the evidence. Aims The aim of the research was to examine the evidence base, identifying models, gaps and prospective work. The primary objective was to produce a position statement on the need to evaluate social impacts and how this might be achieved. Heritage-led regeneration was defined as the improvement in the overall quality of life in its widest sense for those living or working in disadvantaged areas through the delivery of a heritagefocused project. Social impacts were identified as crime or instances of antisocial behaviour; physical and mental health; education; and social capital, including community cohesion and social inclusion. The questions this study seeks to answer are:What studies are available? Where are the gaps in the existing research?What are the findings of the existing research?What conclusions can be reached concerning the social impact of heritage-led regeneration? Findings Community pride and identity can be significantly improved by the process and results of heritage-led regeneration, which can spark discussion and communication between diverse community groups and individuals, creating an inclusive environment. Active participation in heritage-led regeneration through volunteering or consultation is the key to increased community cohesion. This participation and inclusion can increase individual confidence, and feelings of belonging and well-being. Crime reduction is an assumed outcome of regeneration which leads to community and social change. Existing evidence suggests that heritage-led area regeneration can have a beneficial impact on crime, although not in all cases. Wider circumstances, such as lack of social capital, wealth and employment, can make it difficult for heritage-led regeneration projects to have an impact on an extensive area. Small heritageled regeneration projects which tackle derelict or empty buildings can have an impact on crime if they provide a community focus, especially when dealing with anti-social behaviour such as vandalism. Evaluation should take into account both quantitative measures of crime and the perception of local people. Continued success relies on the local community. Heritage areas have an important role to play in providing green and open space, proven to be of benefit to mental and physical health. Participation in heritage projects has a beneficial impact on mental health, through improving confidence and inclusion, and providing a focus for people’s lives. Volunteering in a heritage capacity is shown to increase mental and physical well-being. In some cases, the process of regeneration may cause stress due to change; heritage-led regeneration could negate this stress by encouraging continuity, and local and individual identity. Continued evaluation over a number of years is required to gather evidence that heritage-led area regeneration schemes have a beneficial impact on health. The historic environment is a significant educational asset. Heritage-led regeneration provides educational opportunities across school, higher and adult education. Heritage-led regeneration projects can provide training in a non-traditional environment, which in area-based projects can make a difference to future attainment and employment prospects. This allows deprived or excluded groups the chance to learn, and improve their optimism and belief in the value of education. At the moment there is no evidence to show that heritage-led regeneration has an impact on traditional exam-based attainment. Evaluation of this would require a long time frame. Conclusions The lack of quantitative evidence in the field of heritage, and the dearth of published evaluation, mean that the results of this examination of the evidence base are mixed. The impacts of heritage-led regeneration on social issues have not been consistently evaluated across all projects. Evaluation has depended on the availability of resources and the type of organisation undertaking or funding regeneration. However, the fact that the major funders are producing some evaluation of social impacts is encouraging, and may lead to further and wider evaluation across the heritage sector. If the sector is to show that it can make a significant difference to people’s lives through regeneration, evaluation is essential. In the meantime, those involved must continue to gather anecdotal evidence. Selective current regeneration projects should be used as pilot schemes to establish preferred methodologies, give solid factual case studies, and to determine the realities of undertaking such evaluation. Existing longitudinal evaluation should be maintained and shared, as this is the most significant evaluation of heritage-led regeneration in print to date, provides method and best practice for future work, and will continue to provide important and possibly changing evidence. The well-documented impacts of heritage-led regeneration in terms of community cohesion and the benefits this brings should be celebrated, and the importance of these factors built into future funding evaluation requirements alongside the existing economic deliverables. Ela Palmer is principal of Ela Palmer Heritage. The conversion of the Sail Loft in Stornoway has given new confidence to a community. Creative activities around the restoration work, including storytelling evenings, have given local people a new sense of connection with their historic built environment. (Photo: Highland Building Preservation Trust)
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