Guardianship
Part of the Heritage Counts series. 3 minute read.
The 'Guardianship' theme includes datasets about initiatives that protect the historic environment through managing World Heritage Sites, the Heritage Champions initiative, and historic data about the development of Building Preservation Trusts.
World Heritage Site management
Every World Heritage Site (WHS) requires effective management to ensure that its outstanding universal value, authenticity and integrity are maintained into the future. To effectively conserve these sites, they must be able to respond to the changing needs of our climate and our society. World Heritage Site management plans focus on identifying, conserving and making sustainable use of each site's outstanding universal value. Management plans for World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom are hosted on the UNESCO website.
In 2023, there were 20 World Heritage Sites in England. Of these, 8 have management plans which have been updated in the last 5 years.
Figure GUA 4.1 – WHS management plans updated in the last 5 years, 2023
Source: Historic England
Heritage Champions
In 2023, 30% of local authorities in England had a Heritage Champion, down from 46% in 2022.
Each year, Historic England reviews its database of Heritage Champions.
What is a Heritage Champion?
Heritage Champions are usually local councillors who have been nominated by their authority to promote all aspects of the historic environment in their area. It is at each local authority's descretion to have a Heritage Champion and how a champion is nominated.
GUA 4.2b - Local Authority Heritage Champions, 2022 to 2023
Figure note: Click the legend to see each year separately.
Source: Historic England
Dataset
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Guardianship
ODS spreadsheet of the raw data.
Also of interest
