Editors’ introduction: Recent developments in urban heritage valuation: Concepts, methods and policy application

There is a gap between theory and practice in the valuation of urban cultural heritage assets and the application of valuation methods in the policy arena. This special issue addresses current debates in urban heritage conservation that engage with the conceptual, methodological and practical problems in the field. In this introductory paper, we begin by discussing the special issue's rationale and theoretical foundation. We outline the conceptual framework which derives from the economic concept of cultural capital and its associated range of values. The paper goes on to discuss methodological issues in heritage valuation and their usefulness in urban policymaking. Our paper highlights the role that economic valuation techniques might have in developing a participatory approach to the management of urban cultural heritage within an integrated policy framework. This paper concludes by summarising the papers brought together in this collection.