Liverpool LOSES its Unesco world heritage status

Unesco today removed Liverpool from its World Heritage List after a United Nations committee found Government-approved developments including the new Everton FC stadium threatened the ‘authenticity and integrity’ of the city’s historic waterfront.  

The city was named a World Heritage Site in 2004, joining Venice, the Taj Mahal in India, Egypt’s Pyramids and Canterbury Cathedral. But it was placed on Unesco’s so-called ‘danger list’ – which also features sites in Iraq, Syria and Palestine – in 2012 after the £5billion Liverpool Waters project to restore the northern docks was approved in 2013.

Following a secret ballot, the World Heritage Committee – made up of representatives of 21 countries – which met in China voted to remove the site from the list, in a decision described as ‘incomprehensible’ by Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson. 

A Government spokesman told MailOnline: ‘We are extremely disappointed in this decision and believe Liverpool still deserves its World Heritage Status given the significant role the historic docks and the wider city have played throughout history.’ 

The body was asked to make the decision after a report said ‘inadequate governance processes, mechanisms, and regulations for new developments in and around the World Heritage property’ resulted in ‘serious deterioration and irreversible loss of attributes’.

Discussions on the future for the city began on Sunday but by Monday members had been unable to reach a consensus view and delegates from Norway proposed a secret ballot be held on the issue.

Announcing the decision on Wednesday, committee chairman Tian Xuejun said 20 votes had been cast. Thirteen had been in favour of deleting the city, five had been against the proposal and two ballot papers had been invalid.

Mayor Anderson said: ‘I’m hugely disappointed and concerned by this decision to delete Liverpool’s World Heritage status, which comes a decade after Unesco last visited the city to see it with their own eyes. Our World Heritage site has never been in better condition having benefitted from hundreds of millions of pounds of investment across dozens of listed buildings and the public realm.

‘We will be working with Government to examine whether we can appeal but, whatever happens, Liverpool will always be a World Heritage city. We have a stunning waterfront and incredible built heritage that is the envy of other cities. 

Unesco today removed Liverpool from its World Heritage List after a United Nations committee found Government-approved developments including the new Everton FC stadium threatened the ‘authenticity and integrity’ of the city’s historic waterfront 

‘Our commitment to maintaining and improving our buildings remains as strong as ever and will continue to be a key part of our drive to attract visitors, along with leisure, retail and events.

‘I find it incomprehensible that Unesco would rather Bramley Moore Dock remain a derelict wasteland, rather than making a positive contribution to the city’s future and that of its residents. I’ll now be seeking to draw together all the UK heritage bodies in a round table to plan a positive future with further investment.’

In an earlier report, the body also said that planning approval for Everton’s proposed stadium at Bramley Moore Dock had added to the ‘ascertained threat’ to the waterfront’s ‘outstanding universal value’ and signals a ‘lack of commitment’ to ‘protect the property in the long-term’.

At Monday’s session, delegates from Norway proposed the decision to be made via secret ballot and the move was supported by those representing Guatemala and Uganda. A debate on the decision began on Sunday, but the nations were unable to reach a consensus on the issues.

Opening the meeting on Monday, chairman of the World Heritage Committee Tian Xuejun said: ‘We heard extensive, in-depth discussions and a number of committee members have expressed diverging views.’

Delegates from Hungary suggested the decision be adjourned to the 2022 session, but representatives from countries including China and Bahrain disagreed. Participating countries will send representatives to the Unesco headquarters in Paris on Wednesday morning to cast their votes, and a decision will be announced shortly after.  

A report by Liverpool City Council said £700million had been invested in upgrading historic assets within the site in the past few years, and a further £800million was due to be spent in the next five years, including on Everton’s move from Goodison Park to the dock area.

Plans for the £500million stadium were approved earlier this year despite objections from heritage body Icomos, acting on behalf of Unesco, as well as the Victorian Society and Historic England.

Leaders in Liverpool had called for Unesco to defer the decision so the committee could visit the city. 

However, a draft decision notice seen by the i newspaper says that the Unesco committee ‘notes with deep regret’ that ‘inadequate governance processes, mechanisms and regulations’ have resulted in a ‘significant loss’ to the ‘authenticity and integrity’ of the site.

The committee adds that ‘the process of further deterioration is irreversible’ and the Government has ‘not fulfilled its obligations’ to ‘protect and conserve’ Liverpool’s heritage under the UN convention about the site.

A report said: ‘The approved planning application for a new football stadium in Bramley-Moore Dock within the property adds to the ascertained threat on the property’s outstanding universal value (OUV) and is directly contrary to the approach requested by the committee for this property.’  

In an earlier report, the body also said that planning approval for Everton’s proposed stadium at Bramley Moore Dock had added to the ‘ascertained threat’ to the waterfront’s ‘outstanding universal value’ and signals a ‘lack of commitment’ to ‘protect the property in the long-term’

In its latest report, the committee said: ‘The UK Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government reviewed and approved the project.

‘The state party has not complied with the repeated requests of the committee and has itself indicated that there are no legal and other means available in the governance of the property that would allow the state party to comply with all of the committee’s requests so as to ensure the protection of the property.’ 

Damian Moore, MP for Southport, previously told MailOnline it would be ‘disappointing’ and a ‘great shame’ if Liverpool was to be removed from the list, but ultimately said redevelopment is important for the city.

Ms Anderson also previously said it would be ‘hugely unfair’ if it was decided the city was to be removed after a discussion during the meeting of the World Heritage Committee in late July. 

‘We think deletion would be hugely unfair given all this body of work has not yet been assessed by the committee members and we need them to see Bramley Moore Dock with their own eyes,’ she said.

‘Deletion would not just be a loss to Liverpool, the UK, and to a greater degree Unesco, it would be an even bigger missed opportunity in demonstrating to the world that heritage and regeneration are not mutually exclusive.’

Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region mayor, previously said the push to remove Liverpool from the list was ‘deeply disappointing’, while heritage campaigner Wayne Colquhoun said city planners had ‘pushed the boundaries’ too far.