Heritage Counts 2011 is the tenth annual survey of the historic environment. This year we have introduced more local level data, including HLF funding, planning application data affecting the historic environment and asset data. Users can use the Heritage Counts spreadsheets to compare data across regions and local authorities. As in previous years the website also includes regional maps showing the distribution of heritage assets.
 
The theme for this year's report is heritage and Big Society. It includes new research from Historic Environment Forum members (HEF), The Heritage Alliance and Civic Voice, exploring the role of the historic environment and organisations in civic society. It shows how the historic environment can be used as an entry point to involve local people in shaping their area, an issue which will become increasingly important with the Localism Bill.
 
We would particularly draw your attention to a checklist which the HEF have produced for heritage and community groups to help them develop solutions, which work for them, for widening and increasing community involvement in heritage issues. The checklist is summarised in the national report and is available to download from the website. Please pass onto any local groups you work with. There will a series of events in early 2012 which will be used to outline how to use the checklist. More details on the website.
 
As in previous years, the national report summarises the key policy issues from the year and provides commentary on changes to the Heritage Counts indicators. Regional reports are available to download from  http://hc.english-heritage.org.uk/

Heritage Counts 2010

Heritage Counts 2010, the essential guidebook to the historic environment, was published on 13 October 2010. This year the publication focused on the economic benefits of the historic environment, looking in particular at the impact of historic environment regeneration and investment in historic visitor attractions. Key findings include

• £1 of investment in the historic environment generates £1.6 of additional economic activity over a ten year period.
• Investment in the historic environment attracts businesses, one in four businesses’ agree that the historic environment is an important factor in deciding where to locate, the same as for road access.
• Investing in the historic environment brings more visitors to local areas and encourages them to spend more, approximately one in five visitors to areas which have had historic environment investment spend more in the local area than before, and one in four businesses has seen the number of customers increase.
• Historic environment attractions generates local wealth. Half of all jobs created by historic environment attractions are in local businesses.

Heritage Counts 2009

Heritage Counts 2009, focused on the role of the historic environment in shaping what individuals think and feel about where they live – their sense of place.

New research by Newcastle University's Centre for Urban and Regional Studies (CURDS), Newcastle University International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies and Bradley Research and Consulting provided the first robust evidence that the historic environment has a positive and significant impact on people's sense of place.

Key findings include:

• Adults who live in areas of higher levels of historic environment are likely to have a stronger sense of place¹
• Young people and adults who are more interested in the historic enviornment are likley to have a stronger sense of place¹
• Young people and adults who cite a local building or monument as special are likely to have a stronger sense of place¹

¹When other socio-economic factors that impact on sense of place are held equal

A summary of the research can be found in the national Heritage Counts report

Heritage Counts 2008

Heritage Counts 2008 outlines how the historic environment sector is meeting the challenges of climate change, actions taken include:

• Undertaking high-quality research deepening our understanding of how to make historic buildings more energy efficient
• Using renewable energy sources within the historic enviornment without harming its character
• Adaptation to climate change and securing the historic environment for future generations
• Biofuels and the management of ths historic environment
• Mitigation solutions which reduce the sector’s cabon emmissions

Heritage Counts 2007

In addition to regular features Heritage Counts 2007 included topics as follows:

• Description of the impact of the Heritage White Paper, Planning White Paper and other major policy developments for the historic environment
• Reviewed the meaning and use of indicators for the historic environment since the first Heritage Counts in 2003
• Workforce for the historic environment in terms of availability of people with relevant skills and occupations and provision of training
• Highlighted the role of learning and the historic environment, through projects such as Engaging Places, and the potential for positive impacts on young people’s attitudes and behaviour; and skills, knowledge and educational attainment.
• Research reports on attending heritage sites and review of research on values and benefits of heritage

Heritage Counts 2006

In addition to regular features Heritage Counts 2006 included topics as follows:

• Characteristics of participation and removing barriers to participation in the historic environment
• Involvement in decision-making to do with the historic environment
• Role of the voluntary sector in the historic environment
• Research reports on heritage television viewing, voluntary organisations in the historic environment sector, and local authority consultation on planning