Heritage asset facts for kids

A heritage asset is something very special that helps us understand the past. It has great value because it teaches us about a country's history, culture, and knowledge. These assets are usually physical things you can see and touch. Examples include old buildings, important artworks, or ancient sites.

Sometimes, the term also includes things you can't touch, like old stories, traditions, or ceremonies. These are called intangible heritage.

The idea of a heritage asset is used in different ways:

• In how money and finances are managed (accounting).
• In decisions about building and land use (planning).
• By museums and cultural groups to describe their collections.

What is a Heritage Asset?

Understanding its Value

A heritage asset is a physical item that has special qualities. These qualities can be historical, artistic, scientific, or even related to technology or the environment. These items are kept and cared for mainly because they help us learn about our culture and history.

Heritage assets are treated differently from other items when it comes to money. Their true value is often much more than just a price tag. Many of these items are one-of-a-kind. This means their value might actually go up over time, even if they get a bit old or worn.

It can also cost a lot to look after heritage assets. They might need special care to last for hundreds of years.

Why They Can't Be Sold Easily

Many heritage assets are called inalienable. This means the people or groups who look after them usually can't sell or get rid of them easily. They need special permission from outside authorities.

These rules often come from laws, like those for charities. Some people think that if an item can't be sold, it shouldn't be called an "asset" of the group holding it. However, in the UK, financial experts say they are assets. This is because they can still bring in money, for example, by attracting visitors to a museum.

The UK government even has a list of heritage assets that don't have to pay certain taxes. This shows how important they are.

Heritage Assets in Planning

Protecting Historic Places

In the UK, the term 'heritage asset' is also used in planning. It describes important historical places or items that need to be considered when new buildings or changes are planned. These assets have a special meaning that should be protected.

Many different things can be called heritage assets in planning. These include:

• Listed buildings: Important old buildings officially protected.
• Old buildings not listed but still important locally.
• Scheduled monuments: Ancient sites like castles or burial mounds.
• War memorials.
• Historic shipwrecks.
• Old parks and gardens.
• Conservation areas: Special areas with historic character.
• Archaeological sites.

The term also covers places and properties that aren't formally protected by law. It can even include certain historic landscapes. 'Heritage asset' is a useful way to talk about all these different types of important historical items together.

Local and National Protection

Not all heritage assets are protected by law. Only those with very special interest or national importance get legal protection. These are protected through different laws as:

• Scheduled monuments.
• Listed buildings.
• Registered parks and gardens.
• Registered battlefields.
• Historic wrecks.
• Conservation areas.

However, many locally important heritage assets are still noted. They are listed by local councils on 'heritage asset registers' or 'Historic Environment Records' (HERs). These records are used in local planning decisions. HERs are sometimes also called 'Sites and Monuments Records'.

About two-thirds of all heritage assets are owned by private people. This is because many of them are smaller houses or local sites, not just big public buildings.

There have been efforts to make the planning system simpler and faster for heritage assets. This aims to protect them more easily.

Heritage Assets in Culture

Cultural Collections and Stories

The term 'heritage asset' is not used as often in cultural settings in the UK. However, some groups do use it. For example, the UK Highways Agency has plans to protect historic places near major roads. Manchester University uses the term 'cultural asset' for its museum and art gallery collections.

The term is used more often in countries like Canada and Australia. There, it can refer to artworks, special ceremonies, and even spoken stories or folklore. This shows how heritage can include both physical items and important traditions.