Crowdsourcing the story of bristol

Abstract

Since the early 1990s, archaeology has been a material consideration in planning within the UK. Recent technological advances are now enabling archaeology to a have a more proactive role in shaping places for the future as well as encouraging greater community participation. The management of data resulting from archaeological interventions has largely fallen to databases managed by local authorities. The spatial records now known as Historic Environment Records (HERs) are the primary tool for enabling effective assessment of the potential archaeological impacts posed by any proposed development. Because this is place related data, HERs are specifically mentioned in national planning policy as a proactive tool for providing the understanding required in order to create quality new developments. Local government faces increasing challenges to make their data more open and encourage greater community autonomy in decision-making. In the UK, these challenges lie at the core of the Localism Act introduced by Parliament in 2011. Simultaneously, local governments are under pressure to make efficiency savings as resources reduce. Bristol City Council have embraced these challenges by making optimal use of available internet technologies to create a web resource, Know Your Place. This resource not only shares the bulk of the council's existing historic environment data, but also invites members of the public to share their own images and information in an aim to create a shared understanding of Bristol's heritage. Because Know Your Place is managed by the Bristol HER any information uploaded to the resource after being validated by the HER officer becomes a material planning consideration. This award winning 'crowdsourcing' approach is helping to manage the heritage of the city, encouraging community participation in the process without causing a detrimental impact to local authority resources. This chapter will explore how new technology is helping communities use data about the past to inform positive changes in their neighbourhoods for the future.