Decision 39 COM 7B.86

Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) (C 1215)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-15/39.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 36 COM 7B.94, 37 COM 7B.89, and 38 COM 7B.34, adopted at its 36th (Saint-Petersburg, 2012), 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013) and 38th (Doha, 2014) sessions respectively,
3. Notes the recommendations of the joint ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission of January 2015 and requests the State Party to implement them as a priority;
4. Also notes that the proposal for mining at the South Crofty mine remains dormant at the moment, and also requests that the State Party continue its vigilance of the property and ensure that if the proposal to restart mining is confirmed, there is sufficient time to allow for the necessary dialogue and negotiation to ensure that the recommendations of the 2013 mission are followed, including the update of the archaeological reports;
5. Deeply regrets that the State Party did not comply with the requests made in Decisions 36 COM 7B.94, 37 COM 7B.89, and 38 COM 7B.34 to halt the supermarket development project at Hayle Harbour, further notes that the construction has now been completed and also regrets that the completed structure has been found to have a negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, according to the recently concluded January 2015 mission and the evaluation of the State Party itself;
6. Further requests the State Party to ensure that the implementation of the consented development on the remainder of the South Quay remains on hold and to re-enter into negotiations with the developer to make the necessary changes to the proposal to bring it more in line with the historic character of the site and limit any further adverse effects to the OUV;
7. Notes furthermore the additional information provided by the State Party and the positive efforts in developing new planning tools and requests furthermore the State Party to continue to provide information to the World Heritage Centre on the improvements to the planning and approval processes that will result in better outcomes for development within the World Heritage property that supports its OUV; requests moreover the State Party to ensure that, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, details for the current proposed developments (Hayle Harbour, South Crofty and Tavistock) and for any substantial new development which may affect the OUV of the property be submitted, together with respective HIAs, to the World Heritage Centre.
8. Notes furthermore that it will consider the inscription of the World Heritage property Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape on the World Heritage List in Danger, at its 41st session in 2017, if implementation of the current development proposals at Hayle Harbour continues, and if the proposed improvements to the planning tools and approval processes are not put into effect as outlined by the State Party;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2016, an updated report, including a 1-page executive summary, on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in 2017.