Decision 42 COM 8B.28

Historic Urban Ensemble of Nîmes (France)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/18/42.COM/8B and WHC/18/42.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Defers the examination of the nomination of the Historic Urban Ensemble of Nîmes, France, to the World Heritage List, in order to allow the State Party, with the advice of ICOMOS and the World Heritage Centre, if requested, to develop a thorough comparative analysis on the Roman buildings of the city of Nîmes to bring into focus whether potential significance can be identified and, if a robust case can be made, reconsider the scope of the nomination on this basis;
3. Considers that any revised nomination would need to be considered by an expert mission to the site;
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
   1. Reconsidering the location of the Palais des Congrès and implementing a Heritage Impact Assessment before any development project into the historic core of the city,
   2. Giving pre-eminence to archaeological considerations in any new development proposal. The approval process should be rearranged for projects that will impact potential archaeological remains, archaeological investigations should be executed early in the planning process so that their findings can inform any decision to approve a development,
   3. Undertaking an active conservation programme to improve the condition and setting of the Porte d’Auguste and the Porte de France while reducing the factors that can affect them negatively, especially vehicular traffic,
   4. Preparing a tourism management plan to actively manage tourism and address the potential deleterious effects of tourism upon the proposed property,
   5. Improving the monitoring program in order to focus on preservation of the built heritage.