ASSIGNMNET II Subject - Urban Transformation Review of Heritage Management Plan – City of Bath, England, U.K.
Literature Review - Heritage Management Plan Submitted to – Ms. Leena Thombre (Assistant Professor – SPD, Sushant University)
Submitted by – Paras Mongia (Roll No.- 200MPLUP021, M.Plan 2nd Year, SPD)
City of Bath, England, United Kingdom
1. Background 1.1 Location The World Heritage city of Bath is
,
a breathtaking place to visit and is located on the south-western side of England, within the county of Somerset. Bath is just over 160 km / 100 miles to the west of London and is a mere 21 km / 13 Figure 1 Image showing the location of the City of Bath in London, England
miles to the south-east of Bristol.
The city of Bath in South West England was founded in the 1st century AD by the Romans who used the natural hot springs as a thermal spa. The city is famous for its seven hills and it is fair to say that if you are planning to walk outside of the city centre, you can expect to encounter some steep roads and pavements. Central Bath comprises a number of prominent streets, which include Walcot Street, Milsom Street and Great Pulteney Street. Milsom Street is the place to head for the best shops and restaurants, and leads to Union Street (home of the Roman Baths), Stall Street and the recently regenerated South Gate Shopping Centre, next to the Bath Spa railway station.
1.2 Orientation of the city Great Pulteney Street is amongst Bath's most famous streets. At one end of Great Pulteney Street is Sydney Place and the Holbourne Museum of Art, while at the other end a magnificent fountain can be seen, the famous Pulteney Bridge, and Bridge Street - where the acclaimed Victoria Art Gallery is to be found.
Figure 2 Image showing the aerial views of the city during day and evening
2. Historical Overview - Heritage and Culture 2.1 Evolution of Bath – Roman era to Present day Founded by the Romans as a thermal spa, Bath became an important centre of the wool industry in the Middle Ages. In the 18th century, under George III, it developed into an elegant town with neoclassical Palladian buildings, which blend harmoniously with the Roman baths. Bath was founded in 860 BC when Prince Bladud, father of King Lear, caught leprosy. In reality it is not known exactly when the health-giving qualities of Bath springs were first noticed. They were certainly known to the Romans who built a temple there around 50 AD dedicated to Roman goddess of healing. They also built public baths which were supplied by Figure 3 Image showing the hot spring area of City of Bath
Saxon Bath : Saxons invaded
the hot springs.
In the late 9th century Alfred the Great created a network of fortified towns across his kingdoms called burghs.
Bath in the Middle Ages : During the Middle Ages, a rebellion occurred. People still came to Bath to bathe in the hot springs hoping it would cure them of their ailments.
Bath in the 16th & 17th century : Wool trade in Bath slowly declined. Increasingly Bath came to rely on sick people coming to bathe in the springs, hoping for a cure.
Bath in the 18th century : Bath became a much more genteel and fashionable place. It boomed in size. Many fine buildings were erected in Bath.
Bath in the 19th century :In 1801 Bath had a population of 33,000. Bath lost its importance. It doubled in size but the new industrial towns grew at a much faster rate.
Bath in the 20th century : The first council houses in Bath were built in 1907. More were built in the 1920s and 1930s and more still after 1945. Bath was bombed during the Second World War.
Eastern England in 577 AD.
Bath in the 21st century : Today Bath continues to thrive on tourism. In 2006 a new spa opened in Bath. Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein opened in 2021. In 2020 the population was 88,000.
In the 60s and 70s AD, a town grew up on the site of Bath. In the 4th century, Roman civilization began to decline. The population of Roman towns decreased and trade shrank. The
last Roman soldiers left England in 407 AD. What happened to Bath afterward is not known for certain. Some people probably continued to live within the Roman walls and Bath was probably still a market for the local area. However, the old, grand Roman buildings fell into disrepair and were replaced by simple wooden huts.
2.2 Heritage Management of the city The approach of the World Heritage Site Management Plan of U.K. is to manage for a timeframe of six years.
2.2.1 Why Bath is called the Heritage city? •
In 1987, UNESCO inscribed it as World Heritage Site list as cultural site. These sites are those places which features unique “Outstanding Universal Value” to the whole humanity.
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)
•
Natural Significance Cultural Significance
Key features of the city are: 18th century architecture. town planning, roman remains social setting, hot springs and natural landscape/ setting.
2.2.2 Statements of Bath’s OUV as adopted by UNESCO in 2013 a) Historical Background: Founded by Romans in 1st century AD in South West England. They used it as hot springs (natural) as a thermal healing spa. b) It became and important centre for wool industry in Middle Ages but in 18th century under the reigns of George II and III, it developed into an elegant spa city consisting of literature and art. c) Cultural Attributes: Roman remains such as Temple of Sulis Minerva and bath complex (located at centre or heart of city’s development or area surrounded by hot springs). •
Georgian city reflects the ambitions of John Wood Senior (1704-1754), Ralph Allen (16931764) and Richard Beau Nash (1674-1761). They wanted to design this city with beautiful architecture and landscape to make harmony in the spa’s town and culture.
• •
Neo-classical style of public buildings (consisting of assembly rooms and pump rooms)
Individual Georgian building reflects profound influence of Palladio and collective scale and style of organisation of spaces between building (by famous architects; John Woods, Robert
Adam, Thomas Baldwin, John Palmer etc. depicting the ideas and styles of Palladio itself to have a scale of complete city like that of 19th century Garden Cities). d) Based on above attributes, the four criterions by UNESCO were given to make heritage management plan for the city:
I.
Features of Neo-Classical and Palladian crescents, terraces, squares (integration of architecture, urban design, landscape), harmonious, beautiful and logical city. 18th century onwards looking uniform street patterns of Renaissance cities (15-17th
II.
century ideas of planting buildings and cities in the landscape to achieve picturesque views and forms), unifying nature of city, interlinked spaces, organic flow, green surroundings, 19th century Garden City principle. III.
Reflects to the eras of human history:
ROMAN • •
GEORGIAN
Bath and temple complex
•
Monumentalisation of ordinary houses
(social and religious society)
•
Integration of landscape and town
•
Interlinking of urban spaces
•
Design and developed as a response to
Abbey Church
to growing popularity of Bath as society & spa destination with other facilities and views IV.
Integrity and authenticity are the main elements observed in the spatial pattern of this city. Rich culture and heritage values are also clearly visible.
e) Production and management requirements – The U.K. government protects the World Heritage properties in England in two ways: •
Individual buildings, monuments and landscape are designated under (listed buildings and conservation areas) Act 1990 and 1979 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological areas Act.
•
U.K. spatial planning system under provision of Town and Country Planning acts.
views and forms), unifying nature of city, interlinked 2.2.3 Governance and management of World Heritage City ofspaces, Bath organic flow, green surroundings 1. Government guidance on protecting the historic environment and World Heritage is set out in National Planning Policy framework. Policies to protect monument, protect, conserve, enhance heritage properties, their settings, and buffer zones are also found in statutory planning document. The bath and North east Somerset local plan contain a core policy area to which the development which would harm the qualities justifying the inscription of heritage properties or its setting will not be permitted.
2. The City of Bath World heritage site steering group was established as a non-executive committee consisting of representatives from 14 organizations with interest in site with independent chairmen. The steering group overseas the production and implementation of heritage site management plan. The plan aims to address the key tensions between development and conservation of city-wide properties.
3. Main
pressures currently facing the site are: large-scale development and need for
improved transport.
4. The need for development to be based on and understanding of distinctiveness and OUV of Georgian city continuous to be guided by policy framework.
5. The UNESCO ICOMOS mission assessed the development at Bath western river side in 2008 and concluded that the OUV and integrity would not be adversely impacted by Phase 1 development.
6. Transport improvements are based around a bus-based network and pedestrianisation as outlined in management plan.
7. Tourism
is managed by Bath tourism bus and independent company. Destination
management plan also made to promote growth in value of tourism.
8.
spatialManagement planning system under provisionthe of history Town and Country Planning acts. 2.2.4 U.K. Heritage Plans throughout a) City of Bath - World Heritage Site Management Plan 2003–2009 The Management Plan aims to provide a framework to conserve the cultural heritage assets of the World Heritage Site of Bath. This wide remit includes protection and enhancement of the architectural, archaeological, landscape and natural assets and their urban and landscape
settings, improving understanding of the Site, its interpretation and use as an educational resource, and supporting the local community in its cultural, social and economic vitality. b) City of Bath - World Heritage Site Management Plan 2010-2016 This World Heritage Site Management Plan 2010-2016 is the first revision of the original 2003 Management Plan. The drafting of the 2003 Plan was a two-year process involving wide consultation with local residents and local and national interest groups covering business, transport, environmental conservation, regeneration, heritage, tourism and education. The revision of the 2003 Plan required a less extensive approach. A stakeholder workshop in December 2009 reviewed themes, issues and actions, and this was followed by full public consultation of the draft document in Summer 2010. Aim 1: Promote sustainable management of the Site Aim 2: Ensure that the unique qualities and outstanding universal values of the Site are understood and are sustained in the future Aim 3: Sustain the outstanding universal values of the Site whilst maintaining and promoting Bath as a living and working city which benefits from the status of World Heritage Site Aim 4: Improve physical access and interpretation, encouraging all people to enjoy and understand the Site Aim 5: Improve public awareness of, and interest and involvement in, the heritage of Bath, achieving a common local, national and international ownership of World Heritage Site management c) City of Bath - World Heritage Site Management Plan 2014 Attributes are aspects which convey or express the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site and which contribute to and enhance understanding of the Outstanding Universal Value. The key purpose for identifying attributes is so that they can be protected, managed and monitored and are needed when assessing planning applications, when considering planning allocations and when planning projects or other interventions. monitored and are needed when assessing planning applications, when considering planning allocations and when planning projects or other interventions. assessing planning applications, when considering planning allocations and when planning projects or other interventions. projects or other interventions. Hence, the previous document has been endorsed by single cabinet member decision on 14 May 2014 and revised with a focus to work on attributes which were identified and approved.
assessing planning applications, considering allocations and be when planning The Operational Guidelines suggestswhen that the following planning types of attributes might considered or other interventions. as projects conveying or expressing Outstanding Universal Value: • form and design; • materials and substance; • use and function; • traditions, techniques and management systems; • location and setting; • language and other forms of intangible heritage; • spirit and feeling; and • other internal/external factors.
With reference to the City of Bath World Heritage Site, six headline attributes (right) were agreed in the 2010-2016 WHS Management Plan:
Figure 4 Six attributes selected for heritage management under 2010-2016 plan
d) City of Bath - World Heritage Site Management Plan 2016-2022 The aims of the Plan are to: I. Promote sustainable management of the Site; II. Ensure that the Outstanding Universal Value of the Site and its setting is understood, protected and sustained III. Maintain and promote Bath as a living and working city which benefits from World Heritage Site status; IV. Improve physical access and interpretation, encouraging all people to enjoy and understand the Site; V. Improve public awareness of, and interest and involvement in, Bath’s heritage, achieving a common local, national and international ownership of the Site’s management.
3. Conclusion and summing up The City of Bath World Heritage Site was inscribed in 1987. The reasons for inscription, or key attributes of Outstanding Universal Value, can be summarised as: 1. Roman archaeology 2. The hot springs 3. Georgian town planning 4. Georgian architecture 5. The green setting of the City in a hollow in the hills 6. Georgian architecture reflecting 18th century social ambitions Bath World Heritage Site is exceptional in that the inscription covers the entire city, not just the central suburb or individual monuments. The current state of conservation in Bath is very good. The city can be described as prosperous, with few examples of derelict or abandoned buildings. It has a long tradition of caring for its heritage and has management systems, both locally and nationally. It also has a strong and experienced network of stakeholders committed to delivering the aims of the plan. The first Bath World Heritage Site Management Plan (2003 – 2009) concentrated on establishing systems of management and ensuring appropriate policies and guidelines were in
place. The second plan (2010-2016) applied these systems in the face of significant development pressure and sought to apply the lessons learnt from the UNESCO/ICOMOS Mission of 2008. Much was achieved during both plan periods. The principal challenge latest (2016-2022) plan is to deliver a further phase of considerable growth and change whilst sustaining the Outstanding Universal Value for which the site was inscribed. This is reflected in the plan priorities. The priorities of this plan are therefore: • Managing Development • Transport • Public Realm • Interpretation and Education • Environmental Resilience Therefore, this is an optimistic and ambitious plan. The World Heritage property is already in good condition. This plan seeks to ‘raise the bar’ and ensure that the City of Bath World Heritage Site is an exemplar of urban heritage management.
References https://localhistories.org/a-history-of-bath/ https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/428/#:~:text=Founded%20by%20the%20Romans %20as,harmoniously%20with%20the%20Roman%20baths. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Bath/ https://localhistories.org/a-history-of-bath/ https://www.bathworldheritage.org.uk/sites/world_heritage_site/files/heritage/ City%20of%20Bath%20World%20Heritage%20Site%20Management%20Plan %202010.pdf https://www.bathworldheritage.org.uk/sites/world_heritage_site/files/heritage/ City%20of%20Bath%20World%20Heritage%20update%202014.pdf https://www.bathworldheritage.org.uk/sites/world_heritage_site/files/heritage/ City%20of%20Bath%20WHS%20Management%20Plan%202003-2009.pdf