4.6 Management plan for the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site.

In July 1996, EH published the "Management Plan for the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site" as the next step towards providing an integrated approach to its effective management, and the achievement of the correct balance between conservation, access, the interests of the host community, and the economic benefits to be derived from the site and its setting. The plan recognises the need for archaeological research to improve our understanding of the World Heritage Site and to further its management. It therefore recommends the creation of a management database, and the development of a research agenda. The Hadrian's Wall Co-ordination Unit has been set up to champion the World Heritage Site, to co-ordinate relevant activities, to carry out much of EH's casework on Hadrian's Wall, and to take forward specific projects, often in partnership with other departments of EH as well as external bodies. A Management Plan Committee has also now been set up as a forum to develop the implementation of the plan and to oversee the work of the Co-ordination Unit; the committee combines archaeological interests with those of farmers, landowners, tourism, site managers, local authorities, and government agencies

Achievements this year include the MPP review and preliminary notification of scheduled parts of the World Heritage Site from Newcastle to the M6, and the preparation of relevant documentation from west of Carlisle to Bowness and down the Cumbrian Coast. The CAS has investigated the vallum at Birdoswald, as part of an ongoing programme of earthworks management and research. The recording of the defences of Housesteads Fort by the Co-ordination Unit has now been completed as part of a programme to record all upstanding parts of the World Heritage Site. Archaeological evaluation documents have been produced by the Historic Properties department for Heddon-on-the-Wall, Brunton Turret, and Blackcarts, as part of their coverage of all sites in care within the World Heritage Site. A management plan for Benwell Temple and Benwell vallum crossing has been produced as a template adaption of ICOMOS guide-lines for World Heritage site management plans by our Historic Properties department and the Co-ordination Unit (see also section 4.17).

We have also acquired video of cine-film footage of the consolidation of the Wall carried out in the 1960's. Work by others includes publication, ongoing excavation at South Shields, and geophysical surveys of a number of forts. With partners, we have developed an Interpretation Strategy for the World Heritage Site to aid visitor management and improve visitor enjoyment and understanding, not just of the archaeology, but of why the World Heritage Site is important, and why it needs careful management. We have endeavoured to improve communication through lectures, meetings, and the distribution of "News from Hadrian's Wall", a newsletter produced by the Hadrian's Wall Co-ordination Unit with support and input from the Hadrian's Wall Tourism Partnership and the Countryside Commission.