A Heritage Strategy for Sheffield

Why have a heritage strategy? It’s to act as a focus for defining what heritage is and why it matters, to help spread understanding about the benefits of valuing all aspects of heritage, to make it easier for all involved to work together, and to help support bids for funding for heritage projects. The Sheffield Strategy is led by a vision for Sheffield’s heritage in 10 years’ time, and supported by an Action Plan to get us there.

This is a unique project: the first grass-roots, community-led strategy in the country. Heritage strategies exist in other cities and towns, but have invariably been produced by local authorities, with varying degrees of public consultation. Our Heritage Strategy has been developed by the heritage community in Sheffield, from the workshops that led to our Framework for a Strategy, published in 2017, to the 2019 series of consultative events and individual meetings. So it is rooted in the understanding and wishes of Sheffield communities. We hope that this model will be of value, in time, to cities and towns elsewhere.

Download the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield 2021-31

Crucially, there’s a ten-year Action Plan designed to lead the city to a position where it will understand and celebrate its heritage better; will champion its diverse heritage; will make better use of the economic potential of heritage; support its education value; and recognise its social, well-being and environmental benefits.

JUHS would like to thank all the people who supported the project and contributed to developing the strategy. And of course we’re just at the beginning of the next phase, when we make a start on implementing the Plan. We aim to keep working in a community-focused way and hope you will join us. Watch this space!