Liverpool has been stripped of its World Heritage status after a UN committee found new developments - including the new Everton FC stadium - threatened the value of the city’s waterfront.
The city was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in 2004, joining places including the Taj Mahal, Egypt’s Pyramids and Canterbury Cathedral.
But on Wednesday, following a secret ballot, the World Heritage Committee voted to remove the site from the list due to renovations.
The committee, made up of representatives of 21 countries, 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”.
File photo dated 24-03-2017 of Bramley Moore Dock in Liverpool, the proposed site of Everton's new stadium. Issue date: Monday February 15, 2021.
Peter Byrne
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.
Liverpool will grow - it won't be a major loss.
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.
Liverpool mayor Joanne Anderson describe the decision as "incomprehensible". 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.
'Liverpool will grow - it won't be a major loss'
— GB News (@GBNEWS) July 22, 2021
Dr David Jeffery, a lecturer in British politics, tells Bradley Harris that Liverpool losing its UNESCO world heritage will not impact on tourism or the development of the city. pic.twitter.com/luYpNCfojr
“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.
Bramley-Moore Dock in Liverpool, which is the proposed site for Everton Football Clubs new stadium. Issue date: Tuesday February 16, 2021.
Peter Byrne
“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.”
The area has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2012, when the committee decided the Liverpool Waters development, planned for the city’s northern docks, was a potential danger to the site.
People in Liverpool city centre as England continues a four week national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Peter Byrne
Plans for Everton’s new £500 million 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.
A report considered by the committee, meeting virtually and in person in Fuzhou, China, 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.”
Liverpool City Council said £700 million had been invested in upgrading historic assets within the site in the past few years and a further £800m was due to be spent in the next five years, including on Everton’s move from Goodison Park to the dock area.
Dr David Jeffery, a lecturer in British politics, tells Bradley Harris that Liverpool losing its UNESCO world heritage will not impact on tourism or the development of the city, telling Bradley Harris on GB News: "Liverpool will grow - it won't be a major loss."
