Cologne Cathedral

a) Urban development pressure through high-rise building project impacting on the visual integrity of the Cathedral as a landmark;

b) Lack of buffer-zone.

• Urban development pressure through high-rise building project impacting on the visual integrity of the Cathedral as a landmark
• Lack of buffer-zone

a) Halting of high-rise project;

b) Clear designation of a buffer-zone on both sides of the river, including protection of visual integrity

By letter of 19 January 2006, the authorities responsible for the conservation of the city of Cologne informed the World Heritage Centre that, on 15 December 2005, a decision had been taken by the City Council of Cologne addressing the two requests and benchmarks for corrective measures set by the Committee. The decision was taken to alter the development plan of the Cologne-Deutz area, thus halting the high-rise construction of the other four towers. Any high-rise construction activities at the site of Cologne-Deutz have since ceased, and no further skyscraper has been built.

A moderated planning procedure has been started to design a planning framework that reconciles the urban renewal with the safeguarding of the Cologne Cathedral World Heritage property.

The decision further stated that a 200-hectare buffer zone on the left bank of the river will be put in place to protect the World Heritage property. The authorities informed the Centre that an extension of the buffer-zone to the right bank of the river is only foreseen if the outcome of the moderated planning procedure and the final height planning scheme confirm the need to do so.

The city authorities have started a consultation process with experts to discuss and define the future use and design of the Cologne-Deutz area. UNESCO and ICOMOS were invited to participate in a workshop series which will be finished in May 2006. An ICOMOS expert has been designated to accompany the series of consultation meetings.

Two sessions have been held with the participation of two ICOMOS members. Two of the three architecture firms commissioned to make preliminary plans have presented redesigns, whereas the third firm continued based on the earlier plans which included high-rise buildings (yet reduced to a height of 60 metres). The latter was requested to alter its plans in accordance with the other two firms. The procedure is scheduled to be completed on 12 May 2006.

It seems that the previous controversial development plan will only be officially given up, when a new development plan based on the results of the workshop process is finalized, through legal procedures, which may take time. It is clear that the City of Cologne is seeking a solution corresponding to the decisions of the World Heritage Committee.

ICOMOS carefully reviewed the current buffer zone proposal. The City’s present plan for a buffer zone is not yet in accordance with the request of the Committee (29 COM 7A.29 paragraph 10) insofar as the right side of the Rhine (Deutz) has not been included. The buffer zone on the left side of the Rhine is also problematic as its western boundary runs along a road which was only constructed in the 1950s and therefore has no historical reference. The buffer zone should instead run along the former medieval boundary of the city. Discussions about these different proposals are being held in May 2006 in Cologne. Furthermore an extensive plan prepared by the City of Cologne about the height development inside the buffer zone (i.e. the old town) will also be discussed.