Managing World Heritage
Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd co-ordinates the sustainable development and conservation of the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site (WHS). Hadrian’s Wall has been a WHS since 1987 (it is now officially part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire WHS) and is one of the more complex sites on the register: over its 150-mile length it crosses two government regions and 12 local authorities, has over 800 owners and tenants and at least eight separate agencies (Senhouse Museum Trust, Tullie House Museum, English Heritage, The National Trust, Northumberland National Park Authority, Vindolanda Trust, Tyne & Wear Museums, Newcastle University) running different Roman sites open to the public alongside agencies running non-Roman sites, visitor centres and museums. The Wall was the first UK site to have a Management Plan (completed in 1997 and revised in 2002 for a five-year period) setting out key principles designed to protect and enhance its significance, and to ensure that it is enjoyed and appreciated by both visitors and local people. The UK government requires World Heritage Sites to have regularly updated plans and, in addition, UNESCO requires sites to have a ‘management framework’.
HWHL is now co-ordinating the revision of the Management Plan for 2008-2013. This has involved wide consultation with the numerous individuals, organizations and partnerships that have an interest (sometimes a conflicting interest) in Hadrian’s Wall and its landscape. The resulting plan covering the Wall’s protection, promotion, conservation, use and enjoyment will be the result of successful partnerships working together. The new plan will provide a framework through which partners can co-operate to implement policies and actions designed to achieve sustainable management of the Hadrian’s Wall WHS.
Earlier this year a Consultation Paper was distributed to all with an interest in the Wall and an online discussion forum set up. Individual discussion meetings have been held on a range of topics including Planning and Protection; Conservation; Farming and Landscape; Transport and Access; Museums and Collections; Visitor Facilities; Tourism and Marketing; Presentation and Interpretation. These for a have brought together those engaged in these areas on a daily basis, and it has been suggested that they should continue throughout the period of the next Management Plan to act as a central point for idea generation and discussion. This would undoubtedly result in a raised level of engagement from partners.
Assessment of the current plan is virtually complete and draft sections of the revised version have been drawn up. These are due for review by the relevant interest groups towards the end of this year and early 2008. The timetable agreed with the Management Plan Committee is for a draft plan to be complete in the first quarter of 2008, with publication of the full plan scheduled for autumn 2008.
