Liverpool reacts after World Heritage status removed

Liverpool is still planning a positive future despite being stripped of its Unesco World Heritage status. The decision was made following a secret ballot by the Unesco committee in China. Despite this blow, the city remains full of culturally rich experiences to be had by locals and tourists alike.

Liverpool’s World Heritage Taskforce has given its official response to the decision to delete Liverpool’s World Heritage status. They’ve penned a detailed rebuttal to the deletion report, they say;

"In our judgement deletion will be damaging for Liverpool but even more damaging for the United Kingdom, UNESCO itself and the wider world heritage movement. We believe that the city’s achievements mean Liverpool had a very powerful case to remain designated."

They go on to explain why they believe that UNESCO’s decision is flawed on a number of levels, not least for the lack of evidence to justify the claims that the city’s World Heritage site has deteriorated.

They also point out that the planning permissions which have been a cause of concern for UNESCO have not so far been implemented.

The taskforce also highlight what they say are various false assertions and arguments by UNESCO over a lack of consultation and strategic master planning for the waterfront, and why its request for a moratorium on development contravenes UK planning law.

The World Heritage Committee decided to delete Liverpool from the World Heritage List, due to what they say is the irreversible loss of attributes conveying the outstanding universal value of the property.

Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2004 and on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2012 following concerns about the proposed development of Liverpool Waters.

The Committee said it considers that these constructions are detrimental to the site’s authenticity and integrity.

After the Elbe Valley in Dresden, Germany and the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman, Liverpool is the third property to lose its World Heritage status.