Decision : 37 COM 7B.75
Upper Middle Rhine Valley (Germany) (C 1066)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-13/37.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 34 COM 7B.87, 35 COM 7B.93 and 35 COM 8E , adopted at its 34th (Brasilia, 2010) and 35th (UNESCO, 2011) sessions respectively,
3. Notes the State Party’s decision not to pursue the plan to construct a bridge across the Rhine River in the vicinity of St Goar and St Goarshausen for the remaining legislative period, which is due to end in 2016, and to implement an extended ferry service on a trial basis until 2016 instead;
4. Also notes the recommendations of the ICOMOS advisory mission carried out to the property in December 2012;
5. Welcomes the progress made in developing the “World Heritage Master Plan” document, and in particular the exemplary participatory process used in its elaboration, and requests the State Party to refine the Master Plan in order to:
a) clearly define the World Heritage property’s importance, and the Master Plan’s position in balancing the various interests,
b) complete the “implementation concept”, and include a procedure for future revision,
c) clarify procedures, authorities, responsibilities, and terminology, and
d) provide for a clear definition of an acceptable form of river crossing (ferry, tunnel, bridge), based on the impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
6. Recommends that the State Party:
a) dismantle the cable car system between the town of Koblenz and the fortress Ehrenbreitstein by 30 June 2026 at the latest,
b) refuse the final permit for the bobsleigh track on the Loreley Plateau, dismantle the bobsleigh track, and rehabilitate the site to its previous state,
c) deny approval for the large-scale hotel buildings contemplated for the Loreley Plateau;
7. Encourages the State Party to consider viable solutions for a smaller-scale redevelopment of the Loreley Plateau in consultation with the Advisory Bodies and all stakeholders;
8. Also requests the State Party to closely monitor the situation related to alternative energy production installations such as wind turbines and pump storage stations, complete the related sightlines study, and submit this study to the World Heritage Centre for examination by the Advisory Bodies;
9. Also encourages the State Party to reinforce efforts to reduce the noise from the railway in the most effective and sensible way;
10. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2015 , an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015.
Documents
Decisions ReportContext of Decision
WHC-13/37.COM/7B.Add
Other Documents (1)
Report on the ICOMOS Advisory Mission to the ...2013 Upper Middle Rhine Valley
