Designation is the act of setting aside something, or devoting it to a particular purpose. In the legal planning context, it is also “the action of choosing a place for a special purpose or giving it a special status”. The process of designation confers a legal status on a property by a specific law and provides a degree of legal protection (which varies by country). The term ‘designation’ is used when referring to the formal protection by legal statute for a wide range of heritage assets, including listed buildings and World Heritage Sites as well as many others.