The IHSO project is pleased to announce that Heritage Innovation have been appointed to undertake a re-survey of the c.600 publicly accessible and protected industrial heritage sites in England. This appointment follows an open tender process managed by Historic England.

The 2024 resurvey follows on from earlier projects delivered by PLB Consultancy in 1998, and by Sir Neil Cossons in 2008. These bodies of work have shaped the past 25 years of industrial heritage management; analysing the state-of-play and informing recommendations for England’s portfolio of industrial sites. Their conclusions also led to the establishment of the Industrial Heritage Support Officer post in 2012.

The 2024 survey will gather data on these sites which can be compared with the earlier reports. The main focus will be visitor numbers, conservation and maintenance, funding models and community engagement. The survey will also consider how sites are responding to the challenges of Covid-19, the cost-of-living crisis and climate change. Any parties who receive an invitation to complete the survey are urged to do so where possible, as this will help to build a truer picture of the experience of sites and people and can inform the subsequent management recommendations.

Following the online survey a series of interviews will be undertaken with selected representatives from a variety of sites across all regions of England and the IHSO Steering Group. These interviews will capture the unique challenges faced by particular site types and take a deep-dive into the management models and mitigation options utilised, or not, across the varying site types and regions.

A report will be produced with an analysis of the data collection, recommendations for sector resilience and opportunities for future research. The report will provide a snapshot of the state-of-play today, framing the current landscape of England’s industrial heritage, showcasing the people and frameworks which keep the sector moving and signposting the networks and resources available to support the individuals and organisations that manage industrial sites. 

The project started in March 2024 and will run until July 2024. Two online seminars will bookend the project to inform stakeholders of progress and open the lines of communication for feedback from interested parties. These will be supplemented with regular online updates via the IHSO website and social media channels. Heritage Innovation welcomes comments, suggestions and feedback throughout the project. A contact email will be available via the IHSO webpage: https://industrialheritagesupport.com/

This work is being led by Dr Paul Belford, CEO of Heritage Innovation. Paul has rich experience of the management and governance of industrial heritage sites in the UK and internationally. He will be supported by Zoe Arthurs MSc, who has a research background in industrial heritage sustainability and who is current Chair of the Association for Industrial Archaeology. Together they bring over 30 years of knowledge and experience of industrial heritage and hope this project furthers understanding and appreciation of the industrial resource. 

For more details or to contact the project team visit www.heritageinnovation.org