Liverpool Council planners warn World Heritage Site status may be lost after backing Liverpool Waters scheme (VIDEO)

Feb 29 2012 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL must be prepared to lose its World Heritage Site status if the £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme for the city’s northern docklands is approved, officials warned today.

Planners have recommended Liverpool council’s planning committee backs Peel Holdings’ £5.5bn Liverpool Waters project on Tuesday.

But they warned the decision could have dire consequences for the city’s World Heritage Site, which includes large parts of the development area, the waterfront and the city centre.

They suggested approving Peel’s proposals next week will lead to the city being put on the “danger list” of under-threat World Heritage Sites in the summer.

Liverpool Waters was the subject of intense debate after Unesco, the body which oversees World Heritage Sites, sent an inspection mission to Liverpool in November last year to assess its impact on the city’s waterfront.

Their subsequent report said the huge scheme would damage the city’s World Heritage Site “beyond repair” and the Three Graces would be relegated to playing “second violin”.