The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-07/31.COM/7B,
2. Recalling its Decisions 28 COM 15B.74 and 29 COM 7B.78, adopted at its 28th (Suzhou, 2004) and 29th (Durban, 2005) sessions respectively,
3. Acknowledges the information provided by the Latvian authorities on the adoption of the Preservation and Development Plan and the Building Regulations for the Historic Centre of Riga and its buffer zone, as well as on progress made in the “Conception Project” for regulating development of the left bank of the river Daugava;
4. Notes the State Inspection efforts for the on-going visual impact analysis of planned high-rise buildings in the buffer zone and urges the State Party to fully implement its results in order to prevent any negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property and its buffer zone, as well as on important views to and from the property;
5. Also urges the State Party to further reinforce the current law on the preservation and protection of the Historic Centre of Riga by limiting the height of new constructions in the World Heritage core and buffer zones, and beyond, if necessary, in order to limit negative visual impacts on the Historic Centre’s landscape;
6. Further urges the State Party, in close co-operation with the City authorities, to reinforce upstream planning and to carefully review all current and future projects in the core area and its buffer zone, and in particular to halt ongoing high rise projects and further inappropriate planning for the left side of the river Daugava, until a thorough and independent analysis of potential impacts on the values, authenticity and integrity of the Historic Centre has been undertaken and the “Conception Project” has been thoroughly revised;
7. Requests the State Party to undertake an overall visual impact study of the property and its setting in order to provide a framework for proposed new developments to ensure that they fully respect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
8. Also requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission to assess the state of conservation of the property,including the archaeological values of the site, in particular with regard to the proposed new development projects in the buffer zone on the left bank of the river Daugava;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit a report to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2008 on progress made with the “Conception Project” for the left side of the river Daugava, and to provide details on any projects which may have an impact on the visual integrity of the property, for examination by the Committee at its 32nd session in 2008 in view of the possibility of inclusion of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.