Decision details

To endorse the Combined City of Bath and Great Spa Towns of Europe combined World Heritage Sites Management Plan (2024-30).  This follows an 8-week public engagement/consultation between December 2024 and January 2025.

To endorse the Combined City of Bath and Great Spa Towns of Europe World Heritage Sites Management Plan (2024-2030) following Cabinet endorsement on 14 November 2024 for an 8-week public engagement/consultation between December 2024 and January 2025.

World Heritage Sites (WHS) are inscribed and overseen by UNESCO. UNESCO Operational Guidelines (2021) require each site to produce a management plan and reviewed and renewed (in the case of Bath) every six years, describing what the site consists of, why it is of global significance, how it is managed, what challenges it faces, its priorities, and how (through an action plan) these will be addressed. This Management Plan will replace the previous plan that covered the period of 2016-2022 and has been reviewed to include the second Great Spa Towns of Europe (GSTE) WHS inscription.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024 recognises World Heritage Sites as designated assets of the highest significance. Associated historic environment guidance states that WHS management plans should inform the Development Plan or Local Plan policies. The Management Plan informs, works alongside and is complementary to the Council’s Development Plan.

The review and preparation of the Management Plan has been undertaken through a collaboration of these organisations led by the Council and the Chair of the Advisory Board.

The Management Plan priorities and process for preparation align well with the Council’s Corporate Strategy.

None.