York’s UNESCO World Heritage bid 'not a priority' for new council leaders

The city centre of York is up against six either cultural or natural locations in a tentative list that could receive World Heritage status. The list is published every ten years by the government and places granted with World Heritage status will be legally protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

Council leader Claire Douglas said: “Obviously it’s a great honour to be considered for something like that and there’s a lot of value from it to the city. It’s not one of our top priority issues to get done immediately but there is a process that has to be followed that we’ll be participating in.

“I understand we’re going to be talking to the minister about the next steps for how that proceeds forward. I think there’s still an awful lot to learn about what that application might look like and who needs to be involved with it, so it continues to be ongoing”.

York’s former city archaeologist John Oxley understands coun Douglas’ comments.

He said: “As a new group coming in and taking control of the council, Labour has an enormous agenda to deal with. I appreciate world heritage isn’t high on their priority list”.

On whether this damages York’s chances, Mr Oxley said: “I don’t see this as being disappointing. The fact that Claire has said it is not a priority is not disappointing and was something that we could see as being the case”.

But the Liberal Democrat opposition leader coun Nigel Ayre said: “In abandoning support for the World Heritage bid, Labour are showing their lack of ambition for York, as well as tearing up York’s new culture strategy”.

He added: “It’s now more important than ever to work together to put York’s cultural offer at the forefront of economic recovery, supporting communities across York and building on the city’s reputation worldwide. Instead the new Labour administration is already set on downgrading York’s future”.

World Heritage did not want to comment on local debates but encouraged any nominee to go through the process.

The other sites on the tentative list are: Birkenhead the People’s Park [Cultural], East Atlantic Flyway – England East Coast Wetlands [Natural], The Flow Country [Natural], Gracehill Moravian Church Settlements [Cultural, Transnational], Little Cayman Marine Parks and Protected Areas [Natural], The Zenith of Iron Age Shetland [Cultural].