City prepares to launch formal bid for World Heritage status

Long-awaited plans for the city to launch an attempt to gain official recognition of its renowned heritage and archaeology dating back to the Roman era have been mooted as far back as 2007.

York Council is now preparing to submit an application in June for the city to be included in the UK's tentative list, which is the first stage of the process to becoming a World Heritage site.

The application will be assessed by a panel of experts before the final tentative list is announced in 2011. The UK's nominations will then be considered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 2012.

York Council leader, Coun Andrew Waller, said: "A lot of people think York has already been given the status of a World Heritage site. By following this through, we are hoping to reinforce York's reputation as a leading destination for visitors and a wonderful place to live.

"This is the first step in what is a long process, but we are hopeful that York will be awarded World Heritage status."

The bid is being prepared by the council in partnership with the York World Heritage Steering Group, which is also looking at the possible boundary of the proposed World Heritage site.

The site would coincide with the city's central historic core conservation area, but could be extended to include important archaeological locations at Hungate, St George's Fields and in Holgate.

The idea for an official bid was first mooted by former Lord Mayor of York Janet Hopton during her year in office which ended in 2007.

Archaeologists at the council point out that York contains "masterpieces of human creative genius", such as the city's Minster.

The UK currently has 28 World Heritage sites, including Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire and Saltaire, near Shipley, in West Yorkshire.

Other locations include Stonehenge, the Giant's Causeway on the north coast of County Antrim, Canterbury cathedral, Hadrian's Wall, Edinburgh and Bath.

Worldwide, the Taj Mahal, the city of Cairo, the Great Wall of China, Yosemite National Park in California, and the Great Barrier Reef are among the locations to have World Heritage status.