Strategies for the Regeneration of Rural Settlements Facing Depopulation: Analysis Methodology and Case Studies

Abstract

Based on the analysis of bibliographical sources, official governance documents, expert interviews and fieldwork on the phenomenon of depopulation in the United Kingdom, this text identifies the different geographical, historical, economic and political factors influencing different fields, including territory, agriculture, urbanism, rural settlements, traditional architecture, population and society. The set of factors and fields of action was recorded in a multifactor matrix that enabled the analysis of cases applied in the United Kingdom to identify strategies and actions aimed at guaranteeing the conservation of vernacular settlements and architecture. The study was subsequently expanded with detailed research in four areas: the regions of the Cotswolds (Oxfordshire) and Cornwall in England, Mid West Wales and the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The aim of this study, applied to the case of the United Kingdom, is to extract guidelines, strategies and actions that can be applied to other contexts where tangible and intangible vernacular heritage is to be safeguarded.