Part A: Background and Purpose of the Guidance

Introduction

The purpose of this guidance is to provide a framework to support responsible parties in producing management plans for World Heritage properties in England (1).

The 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention) requires each property inscribed on the World Heritage List to have a dedicated management plan or documented management system. The plan production process is a significant undertaking for those involved; this advice and template aim to simplify that process.

This advice builds upon, and can be read in conjunction with, existing international guidance (see the 'Approach' section of this page). Alternative approaches to those detailed in this document may be equally acceptable, provided they are demonstrably compliant with national and international guidance.

World Heritage Property Management Plans

A management plan is the central instrument for protection and management of a property and must specify how the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property is to be preserved to assist in meeting the State Party's responsibilities under Articles 4 and 5 of the World Heritage Convention (2).

The plan is the output of the management planning process and should be a reflection of the management system (3). It is an important tool that supports daily management of a property under a long-term strategic framework.

Management plans are usually produced with a lifespan of 5 to 10 years. As noted in this guidance (refer to 1.7), an evaluation of the management system and existing plan is a crucial initial step in the updating of a management plan. This process of evaluation and implementation of findings will support the efficacy and sustainability of the management system.

Management plans are usually adopted or formally endorsed by the bodies involved in their production and/or implementation. Management plans are a material consideration in the planning process in England. Management plans can also be an important piece of baseline evidence to inform emerging local planning policies and environmental assessments.

Approach

Production of a management plan, and its implementation, involves 2 interconnected processes: collaborative discussion about the active management process, and the production of a written, referenceable document (4). The advice set out here aims to better support the integration of these 2 parallel elements by proposing a structure for the content of the written plan that mirrors the discursive planning process. The proposed structure prompts the recording of information in a format that supports the management planning process, as well as future reviews.

A proposed management plan structure is set out in Part B and is intended to reflect the language and structure of UNESCO monitoring processes, in support of a joined-up approach to the management of World Heritage properties. This proposed structure is also available in both online and downloadable form without the advice text for ease of use.

This guidance has been produced in line with the following international guidance:

• The Operational Guidelines with particular focus on Paragraph 111
• The World Heritage Resource Manuals:
  • Preparing World Heritage Nominations
  • Managing Natural World Heritage
  • Managing Cultural World Heritage
  • Enhancing Our Heritage Toolkit 2.0: Assessing Management Effectiveness of World Heritage Properties and Other Heritage Places
• Guidance on Developing and Revising World Heritage Tentative Lists

Footnotes

1. World Heritage sites are conventionally termed 'properties' by UNESCO
2. See Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage on the UNESCO website
3. UNESCO., ICCROM., ICOMOS., and IUCN (2013). ‘Managing Cultural World Heritage', UNESCO, 122. (Accessed 19 February 2025)
4. Ibid., 125