C O N T E X T 1 4 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5 25 communicate better and earlier on. Plans that were formed with the community achieved a much higher acceptance rate than those that were formed without them. Communities were diverse groups comprising residents, businesses, property and land owners, minority groups and developers. They were not homogenous and their views could not always be predicted. Arnstein’s ladder of Degrees of Citizen Participation (1969) prompted us to be mindful about the way we engaged, and why. In a climate where communities had greater powers and increasing motivation to take action, aligning planning and policy with their vision and values would help planners find the most appropriate path of least resistance. Chetwyn had witnessed something of a culture change in local authorities. They had shifted from uncomfortably and inadequately dealing with community engagement, to a more comfortable and competent relationship that involved more asking and less telling. Those that had developed their skills in community engagement had come to recognise the broad range of skills that could be brought into the process, leading to some surprising outcomes. Darlington, for example, had allocated 30 houses to a particular site when they were telling the community; 250 houses were eventually allocated after asking. This demonstrated that growth was a possible outcome of engagement. Heritage had to be integrated into plans that were more broadly concerned with viability, sustainability, prosperity and development. An evidence base was crucial so that plans were always tailored to their areas. Examples drawn from Milton Keynes, Faversham Creek and the BalticTriangle in Liverpool highlighted the importance of seeing this broader picture and capturing the unique values of a place in a neighbourhood plan. In an age where even guitars could come pre-aged, it could be difficult to communicate the virtues of retaining authentically historic assets against a background of wider planning issues. As well as embracing the opportunity to engage in a meaningful dialogue with communities, and addressing the challenge of getting the moral or philosophical argument about heritage across to the public, so too we needed to emphasise that conservation was not anti-change. ‘Actually, change is about good conservation,’ Chetwyn said. Elizabeth Blood Jewish heritage in the 21st century Speaker: Sharman Kadish, director, Jewish Heritage UK Sharman Kadish introduced us to an organisation that many of us may not have been aware of. Jewish Heritage UK is Britain’s first non-Christian, religious historic building preservation organisation. Kadish founded Jewish Heritage UK in 2004 to bring a professional focus to the UK’s Jewish heritage. Its mission is to preserve and conserve the historic buildings and sites of Britain’s Jewish community, and to facilitate public access to them. It provides professional advice and support to numerous synagogues and historic cemeteries across the country. Jews first came to England in the middle ages, although very little built heritage remains of their presence at this time. In 2001 archaeologists in London unearthed a medieval mickveh (a purpose-built Jewish ritual bath) which dates to the 13th century and now is on display in the Jewish Museum in Camden. This discovery provided for the first time real evidence of the presence of Jews in medieval London. Jews had very few occupations to choose from due to discriminatory legislation. They tended to take on the role of money lender.This was a precarious profession, and they lived in stone houses rather than timber to ensure greater security. Many examples of medieval stone houses with possible Jewish associations can still be found across the country. There are now over 40 listed synagogues nationally, four at Grade I/ Scottish A listed and 10 at Grade II*. In the 1980s there were only three listed in London. The Bevis Marks Synagogue in London was the first purpose-built synagogue in Britain and the oldest in the country. In 1929 it was declared a national monument, and it is now listed Grade I. Its fabric symbolises the continuity of Jewish life in Britain. ‘Its indisputable significance is that it illustrates in bricks and mortar the longevity of cultural diversity in this country,’ Kadish said. She explained that many Jewish communities often lacked the resources to look after their historic sites. Sharman Kadish: the unique Jewish architectural heritage is part of the nation’s heritage.
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