Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg

• Urban development pressure, high-rise projects
• Hydroelectric power station Salzburg-Lehen
• Train station project outside the buffer zone
• Integrated approach towards management

On 10 February 2015, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/784/documents and addresses the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee as follows:

• Modification of development projects: Of the three projects for which the Committee requested modifications, in line with the 2013 mission report, information has been provided on :

• Other projects: Details are provided on eleven other projects within the property and five in the buffer zone. The following three were the subject of recommendations by the 2013 mission:

• Revision of draft Management Plan: A project to revise the plan was launched in December 2014 and should be completed by mid-2015. A new structure has been put in place for the property, however no further details have been provided. It is also reported that ICOMOS Austria will formally monitor development within the property and its wider setting and provide advice to the City of Salzburg.

• Legislative and planning mechanisms: The boundary of Protection Zone 1 has been brought into line with the boundary of the property.

Although it is stated that the Residential Area Dr. Franz-Rehrl-Platz project has been amended taking into account the recommendations made by ICOMOS International and the local population, ICOMOS International has not been formally involved in the discussions concerning the amendment of the project. No details have been received of the final plans that have been submitted for planning permission.

No information has been provided on whether the proposed Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstrasse / Bahnhofsvorplatz project next to the central station has been reduced in height, as requested by the Committee.

Third parties have provided further details on the Ernst-Thun Strasse project, which have been shared with the State Party. According to the information provided, permission has been granted for a modified version that would nearly address the mission’s concerns and the Committee’s requests. As the developer is not satisfied with this, an application has been made for a third version, which is only a very slight variation on the original project. Meanwhile, work has started on the underground elements of the original plans. The original project has drawn much criticism from local residents, 27,000 of whom have signed a petition.

For the Residential Building Priesterhausgarten and the Public Indoor Swimming Pool Paracelsusbad, it is not clear whether the recommendations of the mission have been followed.

While it is also noted that the administrative and organizational structure of the World Heritage affairs of Salzburg have been changed, it will be important to receive information as to how the changes strengthen the management of the property and improve the consultation and coordination processes between the different authorities.

With regard to the Management Plan, it is noted that the process for revision which is an outstanding issue since 2009, is expected to be completed by mid-2015. Apart from aligning the boundary of the Protective Zone 1 with the boundary of the property, no further progress has been reported concerning strengthening legislative and planning mechanisms through the development of a comprehensive urban land-use plan, as recommended by the mission.

Difficulties in controlling developments which can threaten the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property will persist until adequate planning and management mechanisms are put in place.