At the request of the Portuguese authorities, a joint WHC-ICOMOS mission was undertaken to Angra do Heroismo from 28 to 31 January 1999. The mission examined the progress made in the preparation and adoption of the protective measures and planning mechanisms for the city and its surroundings and noted the need for these to be further integrated. The mission requested the authorities to submit by 1 May 1999 detailed reports on the measures taken for the protection of the World Heritage site and the insertion of the marina in the overall development and preservation of the city, as well as on the marina, including justification for its proposed location (alternative locations; historical, cultural, urbanistic and technical considerations; analysis of impact of the marina including traffic flow, infrastructure); proposals for the improvement of the plan for the marina (separation of the dam from the waterfront; revitalisation and restoration of the contact area between city and bay; location of services away from the old quay –preferably to the Pipas Harbour).
Since this mission, the ICOMOS expert participated in several meetings at the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering in Lisbon to study the models for the marina.
The Bureau took note of the dispatch to the World Heritage Centre by the Portuguese authorities of the report requested by the ICOMOS-WHC mission. This report will be presented to the Bureau at its twenty-third extraordinary session.