A fundamental part of practice for the conservation professional is to identify the various values of heritage places and buildings, especially in the context of change, as this forms the basis for offering advice and making judgments. 2.1 Value to Owners For most owners, their primary motivation for taking on a heritage property is to use or occupy it, for example as a home, business premises or recreational facility. For a significant proportion of heritage property owners, investment value can also be an important consideration. For commercial property owners, this would be the prime motivation. For home owner/ occupiers, it is perhaps more likely to be a secondary motivation for many. The actual heritage value may or may not be a factor in a prospective purchaser’s choice to take on a heritage asset It is essential to understand these key motivations. They shape the future of heritage and the historic environment, both for professionals working for building owners and for those involved in negotiations with them. One of the key challenges for specialist conservation and heritage professionals is to find solutions that reconcile heritage values and considerations with the need for places and buildings to adapt so as to be functional, convenient and genuinely sustainable. For example, offering an appropriate quality of accommodation for those that own, occupy or use heritage properties is important in securing economically viable uses, essential for their survival. Most owners work within the statutory framework for heritage, though there are also cases of deliberate neglect, which may need to be addressed through appropriate market or statutory processes. Working with owners requires skills in negotiation and persuasion, in addition to explaining or applying statutory enforcement. 2.2 Economic Values Utility and Investment Value Most historic places and buildings are in everyday use and so possess utility value. They have economic and social value as work space, places to live, community facilities, recreational space, infrastructure and numerous other uses. It is through their use that they help to generate growth and support our needs for everyday living. Utility value can be closely related to commercial value. Utility value is also related to the socioeconomic values of heritage in the present. Quite simply, many of the uses accommodated by historic places and buildings provide social and economic benefit to society. Property can offer high returns as an investment, though there can be risks too. Understanding of the property and land economy in an area is of fundamental importance when considering the viability of heritage. Enterprise and Growth Historic places and buildings play a key role in the regeneration of cities, towns and rural areas all around the UK. Historic buildings have often undergone repeated adaptations and have proved to be durable and flexible to changing needs. 2. UNDERSTANDING VALUES OF HERITAGE 6
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