Introduction

The attention to heritage and heritage-led regeneration projects has been receiving an increasing attention in the last twenty years in various parts of the globe.Undoubtedly,heritage may act as a lever of economic development having the capacity to contribute to an area's sustainable development.Notwithstanding,the way that heritage is identified,constructed and managed are key in determining the potential benefits or losses for sustainable development.For a long time,heritage was in the hands of an educated elite who was“eligible”for the selection of the“subject”of heritage and its protection.Heritage development and management tended to follow a top down process determined by those in position of power.However,it has been understood that the effective development and management of heritage sites,which may significantly contribute to a place's sustainability,requires public involvement and community engagement.A number of scholars and heritage related institutions and organisations around the world stress the importance of community participation in heritage production and management,indicating that it should be an integral part of heritage development and conservation.This paper,draws on the grounds of community engagement,discussing why and how it has become a major issue in heritage discussions and programmes,unravelling also what the concept means.The paper further explores the concept of community engagement in the context of industrial heritage regeneration and reuse,which are more closely related to the aims of the conference.Briefly discussing about the trends of industrial heritage reuse and regeneration in the Chinese and British context,the paper closes with a good practice example of community engagement in the Ironbridge Gorge,World Heritage site in the UK.(https://www.daowen.com)