English Heritage has revealed the projects it believes to be the 20 best examples of heritage-led developments in England.

A new book, Constructive Conservation in Practice, has identified the schemes which are at the forefront of the public body's collaborative approach to the conservation of historic sites. Guided by English Heritage's recently-published conservation principles, the projects listed in the book include the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, Kings Cross Central in London, and Royal Clarence Yard in Gosport, Hampshire.

Steve Bee, director of planning and development for English Heritage, said: "In some cases, historic buildings would have been lost if it were not for progressive and imaginative developers, and conservation experts working together in this new way. "Five years ago, there was no way to achieve this confidence and these sites would have seemed too risky to developers and would have rotted away."