Preserving and maintaining the concept of Letchworth Garden City

In 1903, the world's first garden city was founded in Hertfordshire, England. The utopian dream to combine the best of town and country living was about to be progressed from concept to reality. A hundred and ten years later, Letchworth Garden City is a thriving town of 33,000 people who enjoy living in a place of beauty, underpinned by a strong sense of identity and community. This paper examines how the legacy of the original garden city masterplan by Parker and Unwin is protected. It considers how the town manages its architectural heritage while striving to maintain its economic viability and responsiveness to today's challenges. The paper also discusses how a Community Benefit Society – The Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation – manages the town's social reinvestment model, which ensures that commercial earnings within the town are shared for the benefit of local communities. The paper looks at the Heritage Foundation's governance structure and how it is accountable to the local residents and businesses. A case study summarizing a community consultation exercise to consider the future of the town centre is also included.