Assessment of Development Affecting World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Sites are places or buildings of outstanding universal value, and accordingly the Department attaches great weight to the need to protect them for the benefit of future generations as well as our own. Development proposals affecting such sites or their settings may be compatible with this objective, but will always be carefully scrutinised for their likely effect on the site or its setting in the longer term. The Department will pay particular attention to the impact of proposals on: the critical views of, and from the site; the access and public approaches to the site; and the understanding and enjoyment of the site by visitors.