| MEDIA RELEASE | |
|
|
BID FOR WORLD HERITAGE SITE STATUS FOR CORNISH MINING TAKES STEP FORWARD A bid to secure World Heritage Site Status for Cornwall’s Mining Heritage has moved a step further, with the appointment of local planning and regeneration consultants, Roger Tym & Partners, who will prepare an Economic Impact Assessment as part of the bid submission to the United Nations. The study has been commissioned by the Objective One funded Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Bid project. Cornwall’s mining heritage was nominated in 1999 by the UK Government as one of 25 sites it would like to see put up for World Heritage Site Status. The Cornish Mining WHS bid, which is delivered by Cornwall County Council, is due to be submitted to UNESCO by February 2004. If successful, former mining areas in Cornwall and West Devon will join places such as Stonehenge, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China as an inscribed site. Roger Tym & Partner’s assessment will take into consideration the potential economic impact that the World Heritage Site Status will bring to heritage and green tourism, local businesses and the regeneration of former mining areas, as well as assessing the value of specialist intellectual and practical expertise which will be gained through securing the status. It will also consider additional grant funding which will be levered in by the status. John Forsyth, Partner at Roger Tym and Partner’s
Exeter office explains, “Cornwall’s mining heritage sites
are very evocative of Cornwall’s history and culture. The most visible
sign of the mining past, the engine house, is often used to symbolise
Cornish endeavour. The bid for World Heritage Site status will demonstrate
the international importance of Cornish and West Devon mining, and will
also provide further reasons for visitors to explore the region.” The report is due for completion in June 2003.
|