Perceptual buffer zone: a potential of going beyond the definition of broader preservation areas Hassan Darabi, Homa Irani Behbahani and Samin Shokoohi Department of Environmental Design, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran, and Saman Shokoohi University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Abstract Purpose – The integrity of heritage and landscape hinges on protection and restoration policies. Such policies are implemented through the determination of buffer zones that most of them are mainly based on the self- absorbed view, which isolates cultural sites from the community, instead of the more inclusive perception- based view. This study used perceptions as a base in identifying buffer zones in Anahita Temple, in comparison with previous study. Design/methodology/approach – Accordingly, two parallel and qualitative methods were implemented. First, the site inventory approach was used to determine physical buffer zone, and then historical and temporal perceptions were used to determine a perception-based one. In addition, integrated buffer zone was defined based on two approaches. Finally, the participatory importance and performance analysis were proposed in order to conservation strategies formulation. Findings – The results indicated that a physical buffer zone isolates the historical site from its landscape, thereby presenting challenges. By contrast, constructing a perception-based one not only maintains the integrity of the landscape but also creates correspondence between the landscape and people’s mental map of the site. Practical implications – Maintaining the site’s integrity is expected to encourage participation from the local community and fuel more effective conservation efforts but it also introduces challenges given the need to impose new regulations. Originality/value – Despite various studies on role of perception in Historical Landscape, less attention has been paid to the role of perception in definition of heritage buffer zone. Therefore, the main goal is to develop a framework to determine the buffer zone of heritage sites by providing a sample. Keywords Buffer zone, Heritage, Perception, Heritage conservation, Anahita Temple Paper type Research paper 1. Introduction The concept of heritage, in recent decades, has evolved from physical heritage to the complex subject of heritage conservation which involves understanding of historical and socioeconomic interrelationships. Therefore, local community has been assumed as a crucial component of integrity, extensively advocated by scholars and international heritage authorities. Integrity is being used to define wholeness by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2008), encompassing environment, landscape, and socioeconomic factors alongside physical elements (Ahmad, 2006; Vecco, 2010; Bandarin and VAN Oers, 2012; Draye, 2008; Pendlebury et al., 2009; Caust and Vecco, 2017). The great emphasis is thus on local community for the reason that heritage refers to shared properties, belonged to and valorized by the given community. At the same time, community engagement can enhance heritage conservation efforts. The efficiency of conservation also depends on relationships between people, historical sites, and conservation authorities (Arantes, 2013, Bandarin and VAN Oers, 2012). Hereupon, people-oriented approaches have been developed; living heritage approach (Poulios, 2014), communication model of built heritage assets (Hauer and Ripp, 2017), and collaborative heritage conservation framework (Scheffler, 2017) have been among examples putting emphasis on local community involvement in heritage conservation. Perceptual buffer zone 271 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2044-1266.htm Received 1 February 2019 Revised 16 September 2019 4 December 2019 Accepted 30 December 2019 Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development Vol. 10 No. 3, 2020 pp. 271-291 © Emerald Publishing Limited 2044-1266 DOI 10.1108/JCHMSD-12-2017-0087