Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa

• Deliberate destruction of heritage (Deliberate demolition of historic buildings)
• Ground transport infrastructure
• Planned and ongoing development projects
• Management systems/ management plan (lack of a Risk Preparedness Plan)
• Lack of management plan (issue resolved)
• Housing - Uncontrolled urban development

On 14 December 2017, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, a summary of which is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1016/documents/, and which includes extensive attachments such as the Master Plan of the historical centre, the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for the Via Troncal, and the Metropolitan Development Plan. The State Party reports the following:

• The updated Master Plan for the Historical Centre and Monumental Zone 2017-2027 (PlaMCha), prepared by the Municipality of Arequipa, has been submitted to the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage for its review and favourable opinion, after which the Municipality will be authorised to issue the plan’s approval. The plan redefines the delimitation of the historical centre and the buffer zone as requested by the World Heritage Committee since 2011 and in accordance with recommendations of the 2014 Reactive Monitoring mission;
• Sections II – V of the Via Troncal Interconectadora, which represent 50% of the project and include the Chilina Bridge, have been constructed while the remaining part of the road is in the detailed design stage. The HIA of the project has been completed, and concludes that:
  1. The values and attributes of the historical centre do not suffer any adverse impact or alteration,
  2. The main impact, though still minimal, will affect the archaeological cultural landscapes of Carmen Alto and Tocrahuasi, located in the proposed buffer zone,
  3. In other areas outside the World Heritage property and its recognized buffer zone, the urbanization along the Via Troncal will be irreversible and will potentially affect sectors with a high cultural value, such as the cultural landscapes of Quebrada de Lari-Lari y los Tucos, Valle Chilina, Tocrahuasi and Parque Ecológico Las Rocas. These impacts will be managed through planning and regulatory instruments. Mitigation measures have been identified, including the designation of certain areas as National Cultural Heritage sites and actions to safeguard intangible heritage,
  4. The Via Troncal will have positive impacts on the property, mainly through reducing both traffic and air pollution;
• The Master Plan for the Historical Centre and Monumental Zone 2017-2027 was prepared, which recognizes the monumental zone as an area with special regulations. Once the Master Plan is approved, the Metropolitan Development Plan 2016-2025 would modify the Zoning Plan to avoid inconsistencies. Other nearby structures of national interest will also receive special treatment within the context of the Metropolitan Plan, and planning documents for these areas have been adopted;
• The Ministry of Culture requested the submission of the preliminary designs of the Monorail Transportation System but has not received any proposals; the project has also been rejected by the Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment.

The identification of the monumental zone as an area that requires special regulation in the Metropolitan Development Plan 2016-2025, and the preparation of an updated Master Plan for this area and the historical centre, is welcomed. It is recommended that the Committee urge the State Party to complete the revision and approval process of the Master Plan, giving particular attention to the redefinition of the delimitations of the property and buffer zone. These should then be submitted to the World Heritage Centre as a Minor Boundary Modification, as recommended by the Committee in earlier decisions.

It is noted that the HIA of the Via Troncal has been concluded in cooperation with the regional authorities and the Regional Directorate for Culture, and that the Via Troncal will have a minimal impact on the property and a moderate impact on the proposed buffer zone. It is also recognized that there are positive aspects to the project in terms of traffic reduction and improved air quality in the historical centre. However, it is regrettable to note the impact of inappropriate constructions in the traditional village of Carmen Alto and the potential loss of cultural, religious and agricultural traditions. The unavoidable impact of urbanization along the road, including cultural landscapes of national importance, should be carefully managed and monitored, strengthening the densification control. The designation of the Quebrada de Lari Lari y Los Tucos, Valle Chilina and the Parque Ecológico Las Rocas as National Cultural Heritage as well as safeguarding of the intangible heritage will be important mitigation measures.

In June 2017, ICOMOS undertook a Technical Review of the proposal to improve pedestrian circulation around the Plaza Mayor and adjacent streets, and to construct the Salaverry-Malecon Soabaya Viaduct. While commending the State Party for the in-depth and high-quality analysis of both projects, the Technical Review made several recommendations concerning the proposals, which were transmitted to the State Party along with the request that both projects be re-submitted in their final versions.

It is noted that the report does not address in a systematic manner the recommendations of the 2014 Reactive Monitoring mission. It would be appropriate to request the State Party to review all recommendations and report back to the Committee on their implementation.