UNESCO World Heritage Sites - UK Tentative List Review
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Detail of outcome
This is the government’s response to the consultation inviting applications for a new Tentative List of natural, cultural and mixed sites for potential nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The consultation ran from 9 March 2022 to 15 July 2022.
7 sites have been included on the UK’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites:
- Birkenhead the People’s Park (Cultural site)
- East Atlantic Flyway – England East Coast Wetlands (Natural site)
- The Flow Country (Natural site)
- Gracehill Moravian Church Settlements (Cultural, Transnational site)
- Little Cayman Marine Parks and Protected Areas (Natural site)
- York (Cultural site)
- The Zenith of Iron Age Shetland (Cultural site)
The outcome also includes information on the UK’s future approach to World Heritage and guidance to prospective sites.
Original consultation
Consultation description
We are preparing a new Tentative List of natural, cultural and mixed sites for potential nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, to be submitted to UNESCO later this year, with a view to putting forward nominations to the World Heritage Committee from 2024. We are inviting applications for sites to be included on the new Tentative List.
We are also inviting expressions of interest from experts to be part of the Independent Expert Panel who will assess the applications.
Background
Inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is an acknowledgement of the global significance of such places. It is an honour and a privilege and can bring social and economic benefits. However, because all World Heritage Sites have to be of global importance, the World Heritage List is inevitably highly selective and many places of national or even of international significance will not make it on to the list.
Inscription necessarily carries responsibilities for the protection, preservation and transmission to future generations of the site’s Outstanding Universal Value. Preparing a nomination and managing sites for the long term are both costly. These commitments should not be underestimated and should be considered carefully before any application is made.
1. Tentative List application process
To apply to be considered for the UK’s Tentative List we are asking applicants to first submit an expression of interest form, followed by a full application form at a later date. Both parts must be completed and submitted on time in order to be eligible for consideration.
The closing date for submitting the expression of interest form is Friday 6 May 2022.
The closing date for submitting the application form is Friday 15 July 2022.
We are holding two open online information sessions on Thursday 31 March and Monday 11 April 2022. If you have any questions or would like further information or support with the process at this stage, please email tentativelist@dcms.gov.uk to be sent the video link.
Once your expression of interest form has been received you will be invited to attend a workshop. The mandatory workshop will provide more detailed information and support for completing the full application.
We are holding two online workshops, on Thursday 21 April and Tuesday 17 May 2022. We would encourage applicants to send in their EOI early and attend the first workshop so as to allow more time to complete the full application form. All remaining applicants will be invited to attend the second workshop.
Please note: only applicants who have completed an EOI will be invited to attend a workshop and submit a full application. Applicants must complete an EOI and attend the workshop before submitting their full application form.
The full application forms will then be assessed by a panel of independent experts appointed by the government. A list of the recommended sites for the Tentative List will be submitted to ministers for approval before being registered at UNESCO later this year.
Ways to respond
Expression of interest survey link - closes Friday 6 May 2022
Application form survey link - closes Friday 15 July 2022
The best to respond is via the above survey links. Alternatively, you can download the expression of interest form and application form below, and email to tentativelist@dcms.gov.uk
Welsh language versions of both forms are also available below.
Information for applicants
General information on the World Heritage Convention and the review of the UK’s Tentative List is provided via the link below
2. Independent Expert Panel expressions of interest
The UK government will be convening a panel of experts to consider applications for inclusion on a new Tentative List of sites for potential nomination to UNESCO for World Heritage status and to make recommendations to ministers by the end of 2022.
The government would therefore like to invite expressions of interest from qualified individuals with knowledge of cultural and natural heritage, or with particular experience with world heritage sites to participate on the panel of experts, which will probably number 7-10 members.
This will be an important and high-profile contribution to the UK’s cultural and natural heritage, and prospective panel members should have suitable qualifications in relevant fields. The government will provide a secretariat to support the panel.
We expect the panel to meet three or four times, between summer and autumn. The majority of meetings will be held online, although some may be held in person. Travel and subsistence will be provided, but there will be no additional remuneration available.
All panel members must be impartial and should not be involved in the application process for any prospective UK UNESCO World Heritage Site. Anyone who is interested in taking part in the panel should also make it clear if they have any connection with any existing or prospective UNESCO sites.
Expressions of interest to join the panel are requested by 6 May 2022 to tentativelist@dcms.gov.uk with the subject ‘Expert Panel EOI’. Responses should include a CV and short statement of suitability (200 words max), plus contact details.
Documents
Updates to this page
Last updated 4 July 2023 + show all updates
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Government response published.
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First published.