Sustainable Intergenerational Learning Transfer for Socioeconomic Development & Heritage Preservation at Cefn Coed Colliery Museum

This thesis proposes the integration of new facilities within an industrial heritage site in order to address the challenges that South Wales Valleys is facing when it comes to projecting itself into the future. This provides a range of opportunities in a region that is experiencing low productivity, lack of local business, high unemployment, and a significant unqualified population.

A focus on education and upskilling will facilitate economic growth and contribute positively to the area. With a sense of social cohesion and a progressive disconnect between the younger and older generations, this thesis proposes the development of an education and employment hub as a catalyst for bringing about productive change in the Neath Port Talbot region. The general disinterest in and distance from local mining history has led to many of these former industrial sites to decline and be neglected.

To ensure the sustainable development of the region, there needs to be a renewed appreciation of history through a process of knowledge transfer between older and younger generations for a more holistic vision of the future. Thus, the thesis draws upon Ruskinian conservation philosophy, which emphasises the importance of maintaining the building’s authenticity, history, and marks of time, which lend it its beauty and meaning. However, in an attempt to combine this with a desire to improve the built environment, this thesis aimed to reconcile Ruskinian theory with adaptive reuse, in order to meet contemporary needs, integrating industrial heritage sites with new proposals to bring them new life.

The thesis proposes developing intergenerational learning interventions to promote a transition towards more productive development of the region, with a focus on preserving the Cefn Coed Colliery Museum. The proposed methods aim to respect the historical assets of the site, complement the local landscape, and engage with heritage to inform the future. The proposed approach seeks to ensure the longevity of industrial sites as well as contribute to the sustainable future of the South Wales Valleys.