2.3 Community Values Supporting Communities There is a wide public acceptance that we have a duty to conserve the built heritage for current and future generations. People are very willing to support heritage protection, including modern buildings, when fully informed of their values and potential. Historic buildings and places have intrinsic value in their own right as the fabric of human achievement in arts, design and construction, essential to the spiritual and cultural well-being of the nation. Conservation of distinctive local identity helps to maintain a sense of place and foster local pride. Under-used historic buildings can have their values enhanced where local voluntary groups and thirdsector organisations, such as building preservation trusts and development trusts, provide community facilities for local people to improve their skills and opportunities. Choice and Diversity Specialist shops and businesses providing lowcost or minority-interest goods and services (for example vinyl records, musical instruments, ethnic foods and fashions) are often to be found in older, more peripheral areas of town and city centres, where rentals are lower than in comprehensively redeveloped areas. Skilled Employment and Local Employment Conservation practice – including care, repair and improvement –createsmoreskilled jobs (professional, technical, skilled manual and vocational) as well as employment in craft-based and related inherently low-carbon industries. At the same time, there is less emphasis on the use of physical resources than is the case with new-build development. Therefore, building refurbishment generates higher levels of pay and investment in local economies Investment in historic places helps to support local businesses, industries and communities. 2. UNDERSTANDING VALUES OF HERITAGE 8
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