The English city of Liverpool was removed from UNESCO's World Heritage List yesterday after new buildings damaged the appeal of its Victorian docks, making the city only the third place to be removed from the prestigious list.
Liverpool was included in the world heritage by the United Nations in 2004 and joined the world landmarks. Following a vote in China by members of the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO said new buildings in Liverpool were undermining the "authenticity and integrity of the city".
Liverpool, the hometown of the "Beatles" - was put on the list in recognition of its role as one of the world's most important ports during the 18th and 19th centuries and for its architectural beauty, reminds Reuters.
Joan Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, said the decision to delist the city was "incomprehensible" as it came ten years after UNESCO officials last visited the city. She said that she hopes that the decision will be appealed.
"I am very disappointed and worried," she said. "Our world heritage site has never been in better shape after benefiting from hundreds of millions of pounds of investment".
Steve Rotherham, a senior official of the city authorities, said that it is "a retrograde step that does not reflect reality and what is happening on the ground". He also said that "the decision was made on the other side of the world by people who don't seem to understand that in recent years there has been a revival in the city".
He said that places like Liverpool should not be left with a choice between retaining their world heritage status or regeneration and creating new jobs.
Jane Casey, who was the creative director of the Liverpool Capital of Culture project in 2008 and is considered one of the most influential people in the city's cultural sphere, told The Guardian that yesterday's announcement was a depressing turning point in the city's otherwise proud cultural history.
"We have been aware for some time that investors have a great influence in the city. Tonight they will open the champagne because now they will be able to build on every piece of land".
The only other sites previously stripped of their World Heritage status are a wildlife sanctuary in Oman in 2007 due to hunting and habitat loss and the Elbe Valley in Dresden, Germany in 2009 when a four-lane bridge was built over the river.
The World Heritage designation allows historical sites access to the UN's conservation fund, as well as mention in tourist guides around the world.
The threat of delisting has hung over Liverpool since 2012 after UNESCO warned plans for housing and office buildings would destroy the city's landscape.
Plans for Everton Football Club's new stadium on part of the former docks were approved earlier this year despite opposition from conservation groups.
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