Local authorities have a major role to play in the management of World Heritage Sites.

World Heritage Sites are places recognised under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention as having outstanding universal value for the whole world. By joining the Convention in 1984, the United Kingdom has recognised its obligation to care for such places, of which there are now 16 in England out of 26 altogether in the UK and its dependent territories. Such care covers the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of such places.

The range of World Heritage Sites in England is very wide. There is one natural site, the Dorset and East Devon Coast. The 15 cultural sites include major archaeological sites such as Stonehenge and Avebury, and Hadrian’s Wall, as well as major buildings such as Canterbury and Durham Cathedrals. The urban cores of Bath and Liverpool are also World Heritage Sites. Common to nearly all English World Heritage Sites is that they are in multiple ownership and use.

The UK government meets its obligations to protect World Heritage Sites through existing legislation, and primarily through the planning system and PPG 15. PPG 15 states that World Heritage Sites:

1. are a key material consideration in the determination of planning applications,
2. that local authorities should have robust policies in place to protect them
3. should have management plans

Advice is available from your local authority conservation team, English Heritage at policy@english-heritage.org.uk, ICOMOS UK and the Local Authorities World Heritage Forum.