Aerial view of Edinburgh, photo: Edinburgh World Heritage Trust
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee at its 32nd session in Quebec, Canada, from 2 – 10 July 2008 agreed that joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS Missions should be sent to both the Edinburgh Old and New Towns World Heritage Site and the City of Bath World Heritage Site to consider the overall state of conservation of the properties and also the potential impact of proposed new developments on their Outstanding Universal Value.
In particular, the Caltongate scheme, the possible St James’ Centre projects and developments Leith were mentioned for Edinburgh, and for Bath, the Bath Western Riverside development and the proposals for the Dyson Academy.
Summaries from the World Heritage Committee:
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
- Expresses its concern at the potential impact of the Caltongate development
- Requests the State Party to invite a World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS joint reactive monitoring mission to the property to consider the overall state of conservation of the Old and New Towns and particularly the possible impact of the Caltongate development on the integrity and Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property, as well as the outline proposals for Leith Docks, the St James Centre, and other current proposals
Read Times Online article: ‘Edinburgh risks losing status as world heritage site’
Read ICOMOS-UK Comment on Caltongate development with Press Release (document viewer)
- Expresses its concern at the potential impact on the outstanding universal value and integrity of the property of the proposed Bath Western riverside and the Dyson Academy development
- Requests the State Party to withhold final approval of the developments until the World Heritage Committee has had the opportunity to fully review these proposals
- Also requests the State Party to invite a World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS joint reactive monitoring mission to the property to consider the overall state of conservation and particularly the possible impact of the Bath Western riverside development and the Dyson Academy on the outstanding universal value and integrity of the property
- Expresses its concern at the potential impact of the proposed wind turbines on the integrity and Outstanding Universal Value of the property; and requests the State Party to suspend the project
Read ICOMOS-UK Precognition for the Public Local Inquiry on the construction of wind turbines affecting the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site (document viewer)
