Decision 44 COM 7B.41

Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg (Austria) (C 784)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.80, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Deeply regrets that the Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thun-Strasse project, the Nelböck Viaduct Rainerstrasse / Bahnhofsvorplatz project and the Paracelsus indoor swimming pool were completed before agreement was reached on their designs, despite the requests made at its previous sessions, and the negative impact of these projects on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property; requests the State Party to provide further information on the final constructions, and develop measures to mitigate the negative impacts of these projects on the OUV of the property and submit these to the World Heritage Centre for review before implementing them;
4. Also requests the State Party to resubmit the latest version of detailed plans, including sections, façade drawings, and 3D CG simulation to show the project within its surroundings, for the development at the Residential Area Dr. Franz-Rehrl Platz (Residential Buildings City Life Rehrlplatz), which takes into account Decision 41 COM 7B.41 and 43 COM 7B.80, and to submit detailed project information, including sections, all façade drawings, and 3D visualizations for the modification of the Mozarteum Foundation and the Salzburger Festspiele Building to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before any rights are granted or implementation undertaken;
5. Acknowledges the reported Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) on the Priesterhausgarten housing project undertaken in 2019 concluded that the project in its current version would adversely affect the OUV of the property and further requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed without any delay with regard to any future developments of this project;
6. Welcomes the submission of the revised Management Plan, notes that the Advisory Bodies will provide a technical review to assist the State Party for further revision before its final adoption, requests furthermore the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with regular and updated information on the results of the testing phase of the Management Plan implementation;
7. Also welcomes progress made and efforts of the State Party concerning the introduction of new regulations for large-scale developments outside the property boundaries and near the buffer zone to ensure adequate protection and control of the property and its landscape setting, reiterates its requests to develop a comprehensive Urban Land Use Plan to further strengthen the protection of the setting of the property;
8. Requests moreover the State Party to carry out HIAs, including visual impact assessments for projects which may have a negative impact on the OUV of the property, in conformity with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage properties, before any irrevocable decisions are taken concerning the projects;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.