Decision 43 COM 7B.93

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/19/43.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 41 COM 7B.54, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
3. Takes note of some progress of the State Party in making efforts to improve the planning tools and their implementation, in line with the previous Committee Decision 41 COM 7B.54, but notes with concern that the steps undertaken are insufficient to ensure that there are no adverse impacts on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
4. Urges the State Party to revise the current approval processes, planning tools and planning policy documents, including the Management Plan of the property, and requests the State Party to establish stronger protection tools and improve the associated planning processes;
5. Acknowledges that the State Party has consulted the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS regarding the application of the South Quay project (Phase 2), and the proposed North Quay project in order to reduce and mitigate the potential negative impact of the proposed design on the OUV of the property, but expresses concern at the timeframes imposed by local statutory processes and that there is a need for such detailed and iterative consultation process because of inadequate planning tools and policies;
6. Also requests the State Party to implement the recommendations of ICOMOS related to the North Quay project and ensure the further revision of the proposed design plans, in order to avoid the identified potential negative impacts of the project application on the OUV of the property;
7. Also acknowledges the efforts of the operator Strongbow Explorations Incorporated in South Crofty Mine, for reducing the negative visual impacts of the mine, but nevertheless, regrets that the State Party has not complied with the request in Decision 41 COM 7B.54 to submit to the World Heritage Centre the updated archaeological report as well as details of the boundary treatment and planning;
8. Also regrets that the planning application for the conversion of the Engine House at Wheal Friendly, St Agnes, was not submitted by the State Party to the World Heritage Centre in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and also notes with concern the lack of sufficient communication from the State Party with regard to:
   1. Explaining the reasons and justifying the design for the conversion of a listed industrial monument to domestic use,
   2. Following up on how the provided expert advice was taken into account,
   3. Issueing of the project approval;
9. Further requests the State Party to continue to ensure that, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, details for any new development which may affect the OUV of the property be submitted, together with respective Heritage Impact Assessments, to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, before final decisions are taken;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and on the steps taken to implement the above, especially the proposed improvements to the planning tools and approval processes, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020, with a view to considering, in the absence of significant progress in the implementation of these recommendations, and in the case of confirmation of the ascertained danger to OUV, the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.