Base line methods of assessment for heritage-led regeneration: Melaka and George Town

The state of conservation practice and the fate of historic buildings and cities reflect the critical issue of the value of heritage in Malaysia. The idea of safeguarding heritage has been far behind the agenda of the government until recent years. This has resulted in physical and cultural heritage loss. The consciousness of the importance of heritage has triggered the implementation of the National Heritage Act 2005 which focuses on safeguarding the nation's heritage. The implementation of the act, however, has been late when compared to the poor state of built heritage in Malaysia. This Base Line research focuses on how the conservation of heritage can lead to the regeneration of historic cities. The study seeks to identify the important characteristics of historic cities which give them identity and to examine the relationship between the conservation of historic buildings and the regeneration of historic cities, particularly in Malaysia, in order to understand the elements which should be taken into consideration in regeneration or redevelopment schemes carried out within historic cities. The scope of the research covers both theoretical and practical aspects of conservation practice and regeneration initiatives of historic cities, specifically relevant to Malaysia, taking into consideration social, cultural, political, and economic aspects and stakeholders' aspirations. This thesis explains the relationship between conservation of historic buildings and regeneration of historic cities by looking at the examples of regeneration schemes in the UK and development proposals by local authorities in Malaysia. The results from the study give an understanding of the scenario in the historic areas in Melaka and George Town, to assess whether the conservation proposals carried out have improved the area and have helped in regenerating the economy of the area, thus, to providing a baseline to demonstrate that the conservation of historic buildings can lead to the regeneration of historic areas in Malaysia.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo