UNESCO finally breaks silence on controversial Saltaire plan

UNESCO says its review of the controversial project and its impact on the village “is not yet complete” – despite the plans having been approved in February and the organisation being made aware of them in early 2023.

The application by Shipley College to build a Community, Arts, Heritage and Future Technology Centre on the Caroline Street car park had been submitted in September 2023, and was approved by a Bradford Council planning committee early this year, despite a large number of objections.

At the meeting of the Regulatory and Appeals Committee in February, Councillors were told that UNESCO – the body that awarded Saltaire its status as a World Heritage Site in 2001, had not commented on the plans.

A Freedom of Information request for correspondence relating to the plans was subsequently submitted by Saltaire resident and objector Kate Rawnsley.

Documents revealed that in February 2023 the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) – a body that advises UNESCO, raised serious concerns about the scheme.

The correspondence suggested the location for the building be reconsidered – arguing the car park site should be re-purposed as a village green space.

The response added: "ICOMOS also considers that further investigations should be undertaken to assess if land on which the Caroline Street parking, public toilet facilities and social club are located could in future be redeveloped as green space, possibly in the form of allotment gardens.”

The Caroline Street car park (Image: T&A)

Shipley College and Bradford Council have argued that this response was fed into plans, and the concerns were addressed in the final planning application – submitted several months later.

A petition calling for the Council to re-consider the application – taking into account the concerns raised by ICOMOS, has attracted 1,800 signatures.

Some raise concerns about the loss of the car park, and others say the building goes against the character of the Victorian village.

Many of those who have signed the petition argue the building would lead to Saltaire losing its UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Despite the controversy, UNESCO had never directly commented on the plans.

The Telegraph & Argus contacted the organisation’s Paris headquarters last month asking if they shared the concerns of ICOMOS, and whether there was any plan to strip Saltaire of its status. 

UNESCO issued a response on Monday.

A spokesman said: “Before a World Heritage property can be deleted from the UNESCO World Heritage List, the World Heritage Secretariat and the World Heritage Committee – the governing body of the Convention made up of 21 Member States – follow established procedures.

“These procedures include placing the property under reactive monitoring if it is threatened by factors that may adversely affect its Outstanding Universal Value, which refers to the elements that justified its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

“The UNESCO World Heritage Centre reports to the World Heritage Committee every one to two years on the state of conservation of properties under reactive monitoring, i.e., those facing the most critical issues.

“On the basis of these reports, the Committee may request additional information from the State(s) Party(ies) concerned or decide on appropriate action.

“During its meetings, the World Heritage Committee may also consider inscribing properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger, based on specific criteria set out in the Operational Guidelines.

“This action aims to prompt corrective measures and international assistance in response to serious deterioration, significant loss of historical authenticity or proven imminent threat to the property.

“It is noteworthy that the World Heritage List in Danger is not a sanction. It is a tool for a broad mobilization of Member States to preserve the Outstanding Universal Value of the sites at risk, thus offering opportunities of technical and financial assistance as well as international cooperation.

“It is important to note that Saltaire has never been under reactive monitoring since its inscription in 2001.

“Concerning this site, ICOMOS International, as the Advisory Body to the World Heritage Committee on cultural World Heritage properties, reviewed the documentation submitted by the State Party (the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) for the proposed Community, Arts, Heritage and Future Technology Centre and, through a technical review, provided recommendations to mitigate the potential impacts of this development on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property.

“Consequently, the process of review of this project, including possible revisions by the British Authorities, is not yet complete.”