Community-led Heritage Regeneration in India

This research network application proposes an action-research methodology for two University partners, Oxford Brookes University and the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi to develop appropriate methodologies for and actively engage in 'community-led heritage regeneration' in collaboration with local NGO, Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE), public sector authorities and experts with the participation of local communities.

Through a selected pilot project, focusing on the Mughal river front gardens of Agra, and the communities residing along the riverfront, the project aims to explore a model of urban conservation which is both community led and community driven. Additionally in mapping and addressing the issues pertaining to the neglected historic gardens along the river front it attempts to bring the river, the river edge and its associated natural and cultural ecologies back into the lives of the larger population of Agra.

The city of Agra is synonymous with Mughal history and Mughal architecture and as such is a major draw for tourism. However, the economic benefits of tourism are only being enjoyed by a select few, with few trickle down benefits. While the city has grown in all directions, it has turned its back to the river and the built and landscape heritage on its banks, even as the major landmarks like the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort stand out as exceptions. Some of the surviving Mughal gardens, besides being tourist spots, continue to give respite to the people of Agra, as the green lung of the city. The river edge has also changed its character from that of an elite area to one housing the poor and the marginalized in large pockets. The existence of these historic gardens, and attempts at their conservation, offer a unique opportunity to not only help reconnect the riverfront to the city, but also through community driven conservation proposals which engage the communities with the heritage surrounding them, can provide livelihood opportunities, which in turn would improve the quality of life and habitat of the communities residing in these areas.

The project proposes to bring together academics, researchers, practitioners and representatives from NGOs and local government organisations to:
- Establish ways in which community led urban conservation projects can be initiated in the India context, identify challenges and opportunities (workshop 1);
- Develop methodologies for gathering/understanding values from local communities and other stakeholders (workshop 1)
- Test these methodologies on a 'live' pilot project in Agra (action-research), using postgraduate students from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi and Oxford Brookes University (live project field work)
- Working with the students in a shared and collaborative project, develop regeneration project proposals for the area that considers the rehabilitation and conservation of the architectural heritage, the revitalisation of urban spaces and in particular the waterfront, and considers the feasibility of the project and the social and economic benefits it can bring to the communities, locality and the city (live project, internal workshops at the Universities)
- Through a series of locally organised events including exhibitions, public participatory workshops and presentations engage a range of stakeholders in recognising the potential for caring for the heritage and engaging with the processes that can achieve results (workshop 2 and dissemination event)
- Demonstrate to the city authorities and other potential donors the potential and value of the historic environment in the urban regeneration process (dissemination)

Alongside academic beneficiaries, the six month research network project and its outcomes will be of interest and relevance to:

1. Third sector organisations will directly benefit from the process of community engagement to influence future developmental work in Agra's riverfront neighbourhoods. Project outputs produced by the students will provide materials for local NGOs to continue their engagement with local communities, public sector authorities and critically funding bodies. Other third sector organisations operating in Agra and India can also benefit from the approaches utilised and the outcomes of this project

2. Public sector beneficiaries in Agra (and elsewhere) and particularly those responsible for heritage conservation, urban planning, economic development and tourism development will benefit through participation in the project and discover the potential for urban conservation and regeneration of the historic riverfront areas in the public good and as a resource for economic development.

3. Local community beneficiaries, the residents of the neighbourhoods directly involved in the project will benefit from public engagement activities, and in the longer term improved quality of life and extended economic and livelihood opportunities. Through engagement and participatory approaches the project will enable local communities to discover the heritage values of their neighbourhood as well as give them a voice to express the tangible and intangible values they associate with their locality.

4. The general public: through attending an open public exhibition through social media and the local press, will learn about the forgotten heritage of the river front, the heritage values of the local community including intangible heritage. This will raise awareness of heritage and contribute to a sense of pride and place identity, leading to greater public interest in the protection of heritage.

5. Practitioners working in urban conservation and engaging in participatory approaches will benefit from the lessons learned during the process to inform future projects.

6. Post-graduate students and teachers by participating in the pilot project will gain (transferable) skills in field research, community engagement and working in multi-disciplinary groups in a multi-cultural environment. The skills and awareness for community-led initiatives in the protection and celebration of cultural heritage gained during the project could potentially inform their future practice perspective and passed onto others.

7. Tourism promoters and local businesses will gain awareness on the heritage value of the riverfront and its communities through the open public exhibition at the site and coverage in the local press and social media.