Regeneration and the protection of Liverpool's heritage can happen together

BACK in 2004, UNESCO World Heritage made the City a:- 'Maritime Mercantile City' is part of a special family of World Heritage, sites that include the:- Taj Mahal, Stonehenge, Venice and the Great Wall of China. Sadly, this decision to make the City’s waterfront was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has come at a cost, and there are now fears the status might be removed due to new developments. Currently, deletion of World Heritage status would be a setback to those plans for the City to make a comeback following the effects of the Pandemic and to scrap the project would also significant blow to the area, as it tries to regenerate the derelict parts of the old docks. as a result of Liverpool's plans to re-develop and restore the area were approved earlier this year, it lead to objects being raised to by heritage body ICOMOS, acting on behalf of Unesco, as well as the Victorian Society and Historic England. This has lead to reports that a recommendation to delete Liverpool from the World Heritage list may be published next week, when the World Heritage Committee, which has the final say on the World Heritage List, is due to have its annual meeting, at the end of July. It has lead to calls from Council Leaders within the Region called on the Unesco Committee to delay the recommendation and visit the City before making any decision. If removed, this would be very unfair , as the work, that includes the new ₤500 million Everton FC stadium due to be built at Bramley Moore Dock, will upgrade heritage assets at the derelict site.

Chris Capes, Director of Development for Peel L&P's Liverpool Waters, who are pushing Liverpool's heritage led regeneration told us:- "The regeneration of the City's Northern docklands is critical to boosting the local economy and provides a unique opportunity to:- 'build back better' and support the City's Covid19 Recovery Plan. Together we want to breathe new life into the docks with the creation of thousands of jobs, new homes and a destination for world class tourism to help attract new business and investment opportunities. Since outline planning permission was granted in 2013 we have been working hard to deliver on the agreed master plan; creating new homes, commercial space, amenities, public realm, leisure facilities and key infrastructure on previously disused brownfield land. We recognise the importance of protecting key heritage assets and we have listened and responded to concerns raised, with key buildings removed from the plans and heights of proposed developments reduced. Our collaborative work over the last 2 years on the City's North Shore Vision also shows how committed we are to Liverpool's World Heritage fabric and the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders in continuing that conversation and debate. Everton's plans for Bramley Moore Dock, with significant investment in the hydraulic tower and the dock itself, are a great example of heritage led regeneration. Like many others in the City, we believe regeneration and the protection of our history and heritage are not mutually exclusive. We hope that the World Heritage Committee members accept the Mayor of Liverpool's invitation to visit the City before making any decision on the removal of Liverpool from the list of World Heritage sites."

As Liverpool was a pioneer in the development of modern dock technology, transport systems and port management, and building construction, why should the City be held back now due to its historic past, by not allowing the development of derelict areas? Liverpool has already proven it can keep it's history in tact and build for the future, with the likes of the Albert Dock and Liverpool 1, to name a few of the many projects. So what do you our readers think? Should the plans get a fresh appraisal, or any decision made held until the work is completed and a formal visit has been made by the Committee? Please email your thoughts to:-  News24@SouthportReporter.Com.