Derbyshire is home to the only UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Site in the East Midlands. The creation of the modern factory in the Derwent Valley transformed the world and society. These factories, and their associated communities, enhanced by an unspoilt rural setting, are a significant asset for the region.
Stretching from Matlock Bath in the north to Derby in the south, the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site (DVMWHS) saw the beginnings of the factory system which transformed economies and landscapes far beyond the valley itself. Today, the Derwent Valley is a complex living landscape, home to over 35,000 people. The sites and monuments are in a complex mosaic of ownership and management by local authorities, charities, private companies and individuals. Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List a quarter of a century ago enabled recognition and protection that no other designation could provide. Much has been achieved since then, in partnership, often supported by our hard-working volunteers.
This plan aims to ensure that preservation, enhancement and promotion of the site is sensitively and appropriately managed. Its vision is to create a universal understanding and identity for the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site as a cohesive and coherent whole. It summarises how the obligations arising from the World Heritage Convention will be met in the coming five years, building on the Government’s own national policies for protection of World Heritage Properties through the planning system.
The previous iteration of the Management Plan was released just weeks into the first lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic, which created the hardest possible backdrop for development and conservation of the Site. Nevertheless, progress has been made and many actions identified then have been completed.
New challenges have arisen, particularly following what UNESCO considered to be two erroneous planning decisions which saw inappropriate development receiving planning permission within the setting of the DVMWHS, resulting in UNESCO World Heritage Centre placing the Derwent Valley Mills on a State of Conservation reporting footing, and a visit from a UNESCO Advisory Mission to see the development pressures for themselves. That reporting footing, and the resulting recommendations from the World Heritage Committee, have helped to shape this latest iteration of the Management Plan, and emboldened our efforts to ensure the best possible decisions are made to conserve and enhance the World Heritage Site.
The objectives and actions for 2026 to 2031 can be found in Section B – shaped by discussions with partners and stakeholders, these set out the five-year priorities of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Partnership, on behalf of HM Government, who are ultimately responsible for the Property. It sets a clear direction for protection, enhancement and promotion over the next five years.
Many organisations and individuals have worked to produce this document, which will shape the direction of the World Heritage Site in the years to come; but this Management Plan belongs to everyone who lives, works or is responsible for the Derwent Valley Mills and their communities. It can only operate successfully in conserving and protecting this globally significant landscape if all partners read, understand and take heed of it. If people embrace its aims and objectives, we can be assured of the best outcomes for the Derwent Valley Mills in the years ahead.
Councillor John Lawson
Chair of the Derwent Valley Mills Partnership