Islands' World Heritage debated

Mont Orgueil is one of the historic sites on Jersey

Plans to apply for Unesco World Heritage status for the Channel Islands are being considered.

There have been previous proposals for forts and other military defences in Jersey to be listed.

Now politicians and cultural advisors have decided to widen their proposals to include the islands as a whole.

The idea was raised at Jersey's first Cultural Council conference. World Heritage sites are deemed to have "outstanding universal value".

It would make sense to think about the islands as having a common cultural history Rod Mcloughlin, States of Jersey

The new cultural council is made up of organisations including the Societe Jersiaise and the National Trust for Jersey.

There have been calls for some time for historic sites on the island to be considered for World Heritage status.

It is now being suggested the Channel Islands apply for listing as a whole, rather than individually.

Rod McLoughlin, the States' cultural development officer said: "We are used to thinking about the islands separately, but it would make sense to think about the islands as islands which have a common cultural history."

'Atlantic Wall'

Dave Chilton, Guernsey States Chief Officer for Culture and Leisure said: "I'd be interested to read more about the proposal.

"When this was discussed several years ago the view was that, individually, the Channel Islands didn't have anything to merit World Heritage status, but that together, for the part they played in the "Atlantic Wall" during World War Two they might."

Bill Walden, Alderney States' member with responsibility for culture said: "It sounds quite an interesting idea. I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand at all."

Unesco is the United Nations' educational, scientific and cultural body. There are currently 851 World Heritage sites around the globe.

The list already features a number of island groups, including the UK dependent Gough and Inaccessible islands in the South Atlantic.