Vision and Conservation Principle for George Town World Heritage Site

In preparing the Draft Special Area Plan for George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, the local authorities uphold a development vision and a conservation vision.

Approaching the plan from the development vision, the authorities aspire to create an "Intelligent and Sustainable Heritage City". This means the plan is intended to safeguard and protects the cultural and historial values of the built heritage, while at the same time enabling the George Town World Heritage Site to be in keeping with modern expectations.

The conservation vision of the plan is to create a "Dynamic Historic Living City". This means, the plan intends to rejuvenate the cultural traditions that were established by the communities living within the city, while providing for the city-dwellers of George Town World Heritage Site the necessary modern amenities to continue a modern lifestyle, to live, to work and to enjoy their life, within the boundaries of the World Heritage Site.

Buildings of heritage significance within George town are documented and categorised as shophouses, bungalows, residential blocks, godowns, buildings of commerce and trade, administrative buildings, places of worship and jetties. For each of these, guidelines are being drawn up on their proper maintenance.