The World Heritage Convention and the Exemplary Management of Complex Heritage Sites

Management plans have now been published for the five United Kingdom industrial World Heritage Sites—Ironbridge Gorge, the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, the Derwent Valley Mills, New Lanark, and Saltaire. Many consider these to be exemplars in their field.This paper aims to present the context; give examples of the management parameters, objectives, and progress in implementation of the management plans for the five United Kingdom industrial Sites; relate these back to the provisions of the World Heritage Convention; and extract guidance that is relevant to the preparation and implementation of management plans for other complex heritage sites, specifically historic towns and cities.Although the management plans quoted in this paper relate to World Heritage Sites, they are relevant to complex heritage sites irrespective of whether they have achieved World Heritage status.