ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on three key elements of good conservation plans: defining the significance or heritage values of industrial heritage; developing policies to protect this significance; and providing management strategies for future. The management of cultural heritage involves caring for what is valued by today's society to enable its appreciation in the future. Conservation plans are a tool to ensure that good decisions are made about industrial heritage sites, structures, areas and landscapes, as well as their associated intangible values. After defining the nature of significance of an industrial heritage site, the conservation plan should establish the relative significance of the components of the place. There is a step between assessing significance and developing management policies this is assessing the opportunities and constraints relating to the place or landscape as these provide a framework for conservation policies to be developed. Most conservation plans will need a range of inputs, so it is essential to engage a team with appropriate expertise.
