L'viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre

a) New constructions within the historic centre;

b) Lack of valid detailed planning documents;

c) Inadequate infrastructure including the sewage system

The State Party submitted the state of conservation report on 28 January 2011.

a) Management plan and Master plan

At its 34th session (Brasilia, 2010), the World Heritage Committee requested the State Party to submit the Strategic Management Plan and the Master plan of the property to the World Heritage Centre, along with the state of conservation report. The report states that, following approval and confirmation by the L’viv City Council Deputies, the Strategic Management Plan and Integrated Concept of Central Part of L’viv Development will be transmitted to the Centre by May 2011. Approved by the L’viv City Council, the Master Plan of L’viv was submitted to the World Heritage Centre, along with the report.

b) State of conservation

The State Party report assures the World Heritage Centre that, in response to the World Heritage Committee concerns, the urban structure of the property has not changed since its last session. The report also confirms that all new construction projects have been submitted to the World Heritage Committee for recommendations, and no steps towards their implementation have taken place. Furthermore, it states that restoration works are planned in agreement with the project documentation developed according to the State Restoration Standards and Rules, and are examined and approved by the Ministry of Culture and the Tourism Central body for heritage protection. With a view to creating a supervisory board for the constant monitoring of World Heritage properties in Ukraine, a draft amendment to the Cultural Heritage Protection Act of Ukraine is currently under discussion.

c) Development projects

The State Party report informs that the investor of the Citadel area hotel project has halted all construction activities. The State Party underlines that any action on the Citadel site will occur only after analysing the potential impact on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and following submission of all plans to the World Heritage Centre. The report also assures that no construction has taken place on the site of the former Franciscan monastery, and that all future projects that may affect the OUV of the property will be carried out in consultation with the World Heritage Committee, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines.

d) Conservation and preservation issues

Two international restoration and conservation projects are currently being carried out in cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Culture and the German technical cooperation (GTZ). In addition, programmes for the provision of financial aid to historical building apartment owners were introduced in 2010 when 37 house balconies were repaired and restoration work on the Armenian cathedral and Jesuit church was completed. All projects were carried out in accordance with established procedures, and conducted under the supervision of restoration professionals. 

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies note progress in the creation of the Strategic Management Plan and expect its completion and submission to the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible. They welcome the submission of the Master Plan of L’viv that is currently under review by ICOMOS. 

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies take note of the report’s intimation that the urban structure of the property has not been changed, and that no construction works have begun on the property. In particular, they note that construction activities within the property and its buffer zone that may affect the OUV of the property have been halted.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies recognise the State Party’s efforts to initiate conservation and rehabilitation projects with the international community, and encourage the State Party to continue with these in order to safeguard the World Heritage property. They acknowledge the efforts being made to protect the OUV through freezing development projects and by the definition of appropriate restoration and conservation work procedures. Nevertheless, they consider that more substantial progress is needed in addressing the recommendations of the March 2010 mission in order to remove the threats to the property which were acknowledged by the World Heritage Committee at its last session and led the World Heritage Committee to envisage the possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.