Liverpool has retained its under-threat World Heritage Status (WHS), it has been revealed.
Councillor Alice Bennett, who is representing the council at the World Heritage Committee event in Bahrain, announced the news today.
She said the committee agreed to maintain the city's status without any debate after a new report was produced which described the corrective measures the city is proposing to protect the Outstanding Universal Value of its World Heritage site.
That report focused on the main issue of how the city needs to balance its projected population and economic growth over the next 15 years, which will see the creation of 35,000 new homes and 30,000 jobs, whilst protecting its World Heritage Site (WHS).
The main threat to the city’s WHS, as perceived by UNESCO, is the nature of proposed development in areas of the £5bn Liverpool Waters scheme, specifically for its Central Docks neighbourhood, which was given outline planning permission in June 2013.
However, the report shows that in close collaboration with the council and Historic England, Peel’s illustrative proposals for Central Docks have been reviewed in line with UNESCO’s recently published ‘Historic Urban Landscapes (HUL)’ guidance, and a resulting neighbourhood masterplan, focused on the human scale and the site’s heritage assets, with a clearer justification for the profile and heights of buildings set out around a major central park.
'Good steps but no complacency'
Darran Lawless is the development director for the Liverpool Waters project. He said today's announcement is an important first step, but said more work now needs to be done.
He said: "I do think it is a positive step for Liverpool as a whole and for Peel.
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"I think it reflects a significant amount of work that has gone on from the Liverpool Waters team and the council.
"A couple of years ago the World Heritage Status was under-threat and so to be in this position is really a step forward."
He added: "Liverpool City Council has responded and addressed the comments made by UNESCO.
"There's still a long way to go so there's no complacency on our behalf, there are still concerns to address but this is a step in the right direction."
Everton stadium
Mr Lawless said Liverpool Waters wants to work with 'all parties' including Everton Football Club, who he said were a 'very important one.'
He added: "We look forward in anticipation and interest to how those proposals (Bramley Moore Dock) evolve."
Liverpool Council have said that Everton must show how its planned Bramley Moore Dock satdium will benefit the World Heritage site before it is granted planning permission.
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And the document approved by the World Heritage Committee today says any stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock must have a positive impact on the city's World Heritage status.
The dock is part of the city's World Heritage zone, meaning a stadium development WOULD have to be considered by Unesco.
Everton has said it wants to respect the heritage of the dock and wants to make a previously-inaccessible site open to the public.
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