York to bid again for Unesco World Heritage Status

York is to try once again to become a Unesco World Heritage site, focusing on its historic centre, listed buildings and conservation areas.

The city made a bid to be listed as a place of "outstanding universal value to humanity" in 2011 but this was rejected by the UK government.

A report from York World Heritage Steering Group said it believed it had "a very strong case for designation".

It added success could be "difficult, though not impossible".

If approved, York could join the likes of Edinburgh and Bath on the Unesco list, as well as Yorkshire landmarks Saltaire, Fountains Abbey and Haworth high street.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, in 2011 only York's subsurface archaeological deposits were put forward for consideration.

It is hoped now that a more "holistic" approach will lead to success.

John Oxley, York's former city archaeologist, said: "The proposal identifies York's outstanding universal value as being the outstanding example in northwest Europe of urban development that commences in the Roman period and continues from 71 AD as a living city, down to the present day."

The UK is preparing a new tentative list of sites from which it puts forward one for consideration to Unesco every two years.

The Unesco criteria for assessment includes a place which represents "a masterpiece of human creative genius", an "outstanding example of a traditional human settlement" and exhibits "an important interchange of human values over a span of time". 

The council's executive member for culture, leisure and communities, Councillor Darrryl Smalley, said: "I think many visitors to York would be surprised to hear York does not already have world heritage status."

The World Heritage list currently includes 1,154 properties around the world, with Bath being the last UK place to be added.

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