PORT SUNLIGHT has announced a World Heritage bid after the UK Government reopened the Tentative List.

The UK Government’s open call for applications to the Tentative List for World Heritage Site (WHS) represents an opportunity for the village to be given a once in a decade chance to be considered for global recognition.

The question of Port Sunlight’s eligibility for WHS inscription has been raised by the community and local politicians. As part of its strategic and conservation planning in 2018, village custodians Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) and key stakeholders reconsidered WHS inscription, and this time determined that it was a realistic opportunity for Wirral, the community, and the heritage site.

If successful, Port Sunlight could be ranked alongside other globally significant communities, including Saltaire and New Lanark, and famous landmarks such as Stonehenge and The Tower of London. Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) will select up to ten UK sites to join the Tentative List and announce the results of the bidding process in late Autumn 2022.

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PSVT have put together a bid for Port Sunlight to be recognised as a World Heritage Site, with support from strategic partners Wirral Council, National Museums Liverpool, and Unilever.

Chief Executive at PSVT, Paul Harris said: “The UK's Tentative List is typically only reviewed at ten-yearly intervals so this is a rare opportunity that must be seized. Port Sunlight’s ambition for inscription has really developed over two decades. We have done our research, sought expert advice, learnt from others, talked to and reflected on the needs of stakeholders and constituents, weighed up the potential impact for heritage and people, and considered the needs of our businesses.

“We are pursuing inscription to celebrate Port Sunlight's global value - a radical and influential innovation in community design and development for well-being and productivity for all people. In addition, we believe that inscription will support and inspire further collaborative working with our community and stakeholders, engagement with other inscribed sites and research institutions to unlock the site's global legacies, increase opportunities for local enterprise, and foster pride.”