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City's World Heritage Site status 'saved'

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Published Date: 17 November 2008
EDINBURGH'S World Heritage Site status appears to have been saved despite concerns about the controversial Caltongate development.
Inspectors from Unesco visited the Capital last week to investigate the planned demolition of listed buildings to make way for the £300m hotel, office, restaurant and housing scheme in the Old Town.

A final report is not expected until June next year, but Dr Mechtild Rossler, Unesco's European chief of cultural world heritage sites, indicated the plans to bulldoze the former Canongate School and part of the Old Sailors Ark building were not enough to endanger World Heritage Site status.

She said: "These are C-listed buildings and there are examples by the same architects and of the same period close by. I don't believe the world heritage committee likes the idea, but it's a very unusual situation."





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  • Last Updated: 17 November 2008 10:32 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Duncan in Edinburgh,

17/11/2008 12:21:51
*faints*
2

Buttress,

17/11/2008 12:32:07
Actually again it's a rehash of a rehash, and UNESCO wasn't here to take away WHS status. It was here on an investigative misson at the request of Historic Scotland and the World Heritage Committee.

The Royal Mile Primary may be by the same architect but it's rather different architecture. The fact that an architect designed more than one building is a red herring.

Shame the press got so much so wrong, and continues to do so.

Naturally the plans to bulldoze one building won't stop WHS status, but as Dr Rossler said - they don't like it. They have concerns, Those concerns will be raised with the State Party. Those concerns will need to be addressed.

I wait the proper UNESCO report with interest.
3

Farky,

Edinburgh 17/11/2008 13:43:43
Shame the school is going alright. Demolishing a building that has nothing wrong with it is criminal!

What will replace it will be unsightly, I'm sure. But who cares? Clearly, obviuously, unfortunately - NO ONE!

Treating perfectly good buildings like disposable items is wrong and hardly a good use of the worlds resources!
4

Buttress,

17/11/2008 14:16:54
The UNESCO mission actually said at the press call that it was unhappy about the demolition of the listed buildings in the WHS.

But overall at the moment the WHS status is safe, as that's not what the misson was here for!
5

Peter - very disappointed/concerned,

Edinburgh 17/11/2008 14:48:09
A great pity about the graffiti attack made on the Thursday night/Friday morning on the security fence around the Caltongate site. By Saturday morning the 'comments' had been blotted out by the site security team, perhaps these 'statements' should have been left for UNESCO's people to see/enjoy (I thought they were quite 'funny').

I hope that 'official' heritage/conservation bodies will distance themselves from the childish and futile behaviour of some would be 'protesters' whose actions are not appreciated by any of us who live here.

The WHS has been preserved it would appear, in my view that is also a pity as it tends to ensure the 'prison' status and possible curtailment of future developments in the Town.

Bottom line, was UNESCO's little jolly a real necessary?




6

Buttress,

17/11/2008 14:51:49
The WHS was not under threat - that was not the purpose of the mission.

Hardly a jolly, although they seemed to work jolly hard, but I think international expertise is always welcome. They were here at the invitation of the government after all.

However, I have things to do today in a rush and think no time to bandy words.


 

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