Liverpool lost its UNESCO World Heritage status after the UN decided that the government had failed to protect and conserve its historical site.
Eight years after UNESCO put Liverpool on its danger list following the city council’s approval of a £5bn/$6.8 bn plan to regenerate the northern docks, the famous city officially lost its status. The decision was made after a meeting of 21 countries: 13 countries voted in favour of removing Liverpool from the list. A two-thirds majority was required for the decision.
The city becomes the third site to lose its World Heritage status, after the Elbe Valley in Germany and the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman. UNESCO said in a statement: “Any deletion from the World Heritage List is a loss to the international community and to the internationally shared values and commitments under the World Heritage Convention.”
Liverpool received World Heritage status in 2004 for the beauty of its waterfront, putting it on the same list as the Taj Mahal and Great Wall of China. The status gave the city access to UN funding and legal protection under the Geneva conventions. Liverpool’s economy also benefited from the title, as tourism brought in an extra £100 million/$137million.
Before it can reapply to regain the status, Liverpool must demonstrate that it “complied with the advice previously issued on the conditions and actions needed to preserve the site’s outstanding universal value,” UNESCO said. But competition is stiff, as hundreds of sites around the world are applying to join the list, including several UK sites.
