July 17, 2017 -- With news from the United Kingdom that Bath’s council intends to ditch a park –and-ride plan on water meadows just outside the Georgian city to preserve its UNESCO standing, the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society cautions Nevis Island Administration to think twice about its proposed Treasury Building in the heart of Charlestown.
The island’s seeking World Heritage Site (WHS) status that will lead to increased revenue from visitors, international attention, greater natural pride in historical and cultural assets; and better partnerships between government, NGOs, and public and private sectors when managing the site’s goals.
“The NHCS supports construction and renovation of the capital, with work undertaken in a sustainable way according to legal guidelines,” says NHCS executive director Nicole Liburd.
However, the Society’s raised strong objections to plans for the Treasury Building planned for the Market Street district. “The design, scale, size and height of the building is completely inappropriate for Charlestown,” Liburd explains.
The NHCS recommends all government offices – except for services such as tax payments, licensing, etc – be moved out of the centre and a public square with retail stores be constructed to draw more people to the town.
Every effort should be made to retain the historic character of the 1770s port city by enforcing rules that maintain characteristic West Indian rooflines, windows and building scale. A particular concern is that heights should not be taller than surrounding buildings.
The proposed building would so negatively impact efforts to gain World Heritage Site status for Charlestown that any application would certainly be rejected. “It would undermine the historic integrity of the town and indicate a lack of commitment towards preservation on the government’s part,” says Liburd.
Although mindful there’s a need for equilibrium between old and new, we should examine similar sites worldwide to understand the impact of WHS designation and learn from best practices how to achieve and sustain a critical balance.
The NHCS pushes for a re-evaluation of the planned construction and invites members of the public and private sector to add their voices to the debate, highlighting the need to preserve the authentic integrity of charming and historical Charlestown.
www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/jul/11/bath-park-ride-council-ditch-scheme-world-heritage-status
www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/local-news/charlestown-nominated-unesco-world-heritage-site
*************************
DISCLAIMER
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers
