ABSTRACT
Conservation has been around for far longer than most people realise. It certainly predates the usual references to Ruskin and Morris in the mid- and late-nineteenth century; but the early history of conservation, as with antiquarianism and local history, was an activity for the élite and wealthy. Public participation has long been a stated concern in planning, and has widely been used to legitimise a wide range of activities and policies, including conservation and design. It is surprisingly difficult to discuss the question of “who participates” in residential conservation as so little research has been carried out on the values, attitudes and activities of residents. Many fewer working-class residential areas are subject to protection and, from the limited empirical work undertaken, the attitudes of their residents appear to be significantly different. Most respondents stressed the importance of public consultation, although a number of more frankly sceptical views were advanced.
