Bath, the only entire city in the United Kingdom designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is considering relinquishing its protected status to facilitate new housing development in line with national targets. The city is renowned for its historic Roman baths and distinctive Georgian architecture, features that have contributed to its strict conservation regulations and limited scope for new construction.

Under current UNESCO guidelines, all development in Bath must adhere to stringent design standards that require new buildings to match local heritage materials, such as natural stone and slate. Additionally, the designation includes the city’s characteristic “hollow in the hills” landscape, effectively preventing expansion of housing into the surrounding suburban areas.

The Bath and North East Somerset Council, led by the Liberal Democrats, is exploring the possibility of withdrawing the UNESCO status to accommodate the government’s housing objective of 5,900 new homes. This consideration follows the council’s initial proposal for a 2,000-home western suburban expansion, which was reportedly opposed by government planning authorities due to a lack of UNESCO support.

Councillor Matt McCabe, speaking at a council scrutiny panel, emphasized the necessity of altering the wording of Bath’s World Heritage inscription to enable development. Should the council move forward, Bath would need to be formally delisted by UNESCO and subsequently apply for reinstatement, contingent on the agency’s approval.

Aside from the potential suburban expansion, additional housing would be concentrated primarily on small brownfield sites within the city. The proposed changes aim to balance heritage preservation with efforts to address housing shortages, a challenge faced by many historic urban centers in the UK.