Includes bibliographical references and index.

The past in the future / Michael Forsyth -- Architectural history and conservation / Martin Cherry -- Conservation and authenticity / Martin Robertson -- Regeneration and the historic environment / Duncan McCallum -- Problems and opportunities in rural conservation / Jeremy Lake -- Sustainable reuse of historic industrial sites / Keith Falconer -- Realms of memory : changing perceptions of the country house / Giles Waterfield -- Conserving buildings of the Modern Movement / John Winter -- Conservation and historic designed landscapes / Jonathan Lovie -- International standards and charters / Philip Whitbourn -- Conservation legislation in the United Kingdom : a brief history / Colin Johns -- Conservation legislation in the United Kingdom : looking ahead / Colin Johns -- The role of the archaeologist / Peter Davenport -- Preparing the conservation plan / James Maitland Gard'ner -- Costing and contracts for historic buildings / Adrian Stenning and Geoff Evans -- Maintenance in conservation / Nigel Dann and Timothy Cantell -- Building preservation trusts / Colin Johns -- Valuing our heritage / David H. Tomback.

This is a discussion of conservation philosophy and the importance of understanding the history of a building before making strategic decisions. The text details the role of each conservation team member and sets out the challenges of conservation at planning level in urban, industiral and rural contexts.