Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape

• Resumption of mining activities
• Inappropriate developments (note that the previously raised issue of the new supermarket built at Hayle Harbour has since been resolved)
• Potential impact of new development projects
• Management and institutional factors / Improvements to the planning tools and approval processes not yet completed and implemented 
• Social/cultural uses of heritage

N/A

On 30 November 2022, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1215/documents/. Progress in a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions is reported as follows:

• The World Heritage Site (WHS) Supplementary Planning Document, the Planning Performance Agreements and neighbourhood development plans and the use of the WHS Planning Toolkit are actively applied to protect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property. The Management Plan for the property was adopted in January 2021. In 2021 and 2022, a governance review involving stakeholders was undertaken with the aim to ensure a robust management structure;
• Early engagement occurs between Historic England and the WHS Planning Officer about specific planning applications and Historic England is represented on the property’s Technical Panel;
• A collaborative process will address the recommendations of the February 2022 technical review by ICOMOS of the North Quay Phase 2 proposals and the need for further revisions to the Hilltop site. The Local Planning Authority awaits submission of these revisions for formal assessment, after which the State Party will seek further input from ICOMOS;
• Planning permission for the South Crofty Mine was granted in 2011 conditionally on the terms that the protection of areas of archaeological/historical interest was addressed and the boundary treatment approved by the Minerals Planning Authority. An explanation of boundary treatments was submitted to the World Heritage Centre on 14 July 2021, noting that the mine site boundary had already been addressed through a condition discharged on 14 October 2016;
• Research and interpretation across the property and stakeholder involvement has increased. In partnership with the Cornish Buildings Group, buildings that enhance the property through its design and heritage-led regeneration have been awarded. The renovation of the Guildhall in Tavistock has been completed and it functions as an interpretation centre for the property.

On 6 December 2022, the State Party submitted information and documentation on two planning applications for housing at Lower Boscaswell within the St Just Mining District, and results of research conducted by Plymouth University which identified concerns about arsenic levels in the soil within parts of the Tamar Valley Mining District, in reply to a letter from the World Heritage Centre under Paragraph 174 of the Operational Guidelines, dated 22 August 2022.

The continued application of the WHS Supplementary Planning Document, the WHS Planning Toolkit, Planning Performance Agreements, neighbourhood development plans and the revised Management Plan in January 2021 are welcomed.

It remains vital to seek and implement the advice of both Historic England and the WHS Planning Officer for planning applications that may affect the OUV of the property. These applications should be referred to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, with adequate time for consultation, rather than being addressed solely through the UK planning process as occurred for the Lower Boscaswell developments, about which the World Heritage Centre was informed by third parties. Any development that may have an impact on the OUV of the property should be subject to an impact assessment using the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context.

Following ICOMOS technical reviews in September 2018, April and July 2019, February 2021 and February 2022 for the North Quay Phase 2 projects, a number of ICOMOS’ recommendations have been addressed. The issues at the Eastern Gateway and East Quay have been resolved, but the planned housing development at the Hilltop site remains unsatisfactory. The ICOMOS technical review of February 2022, concurred with Historic England that the scale and extent of the proposed housing and associated features would overwhelm the natural setting. The Committee should confirm that this housing development should be revised in accordance with ICOMOS recommendations and request the State Party to submit the revised plans for review prior to consideration by the Local Planning Authority.

Regarding the reopening of the South Crofty Mine, partly located within the property, the procedural information regarding the discharged condition is noted. However, the information provided in the State Party state of conservation report does not provide an update on the current status of the re-commencement of mining activities. Therefore, it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies a comprehensive information package on the current status of this project, taking into account the recommendations of the 2013 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission. In the case of any plans for the potential reopening of the South Crofty Mine, it is also recalled that, in line with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines, impact assessments shall be carried out as a pre-requisite for development projects and activities that are planned for implementation within or around a World Heritage property to ensure the long-term safeguarding of OUV.

The State Party’s efforts regarding research, interpretation and stakeholder involvement across the property should be acknowledged.