In October, Andrew was delighted to be a contributor at a major conference in Derry, entitled ‘Unlocking Heritage-led Prosperity’, discussing a heritage development strategy for the city. Derry is an amazing walled city, with a powerful and turbulent 400-year history. Almost 150 delegates came to explore how the city can release the potential in its heritage. So Andrew shared some lessons from places where heritage has been a real catalyst for regeneration, civic confidence and the visitor economy. Like the Piece Hall in Halifax in fact!

Fellow speakers – a leading architect, urban planner and the designer Wayne Hemingway amongst them – then set out how development strategies (from the top down and grassroots up) can transform a place to live, work and visit. We all then took these insights into a series of workshops to look at how they might apply for Derry. With a really engaged and open mix of public, private and community leaders, the conference buzzed for two days as we challenged, provoked and debated how Derry can seize the opportunity that its current plans, investments and partnerships are clearly presenting.

If the positive, focused people Andrew met in Derry are anything to go by, the next few years in this city should be worth watching.

View CTConsults’ case study – Northern Ireland – Starting to share its cultural power

Image: Derry Guildhall