A new Chairman has been appointed to the City of Bath World Heritage Steering Group, bringing together 22 representatives to oversee the management of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Professor Barry Gilbertson will lead the group, which brings together 22 representatives from international, national and local government, conservation, heritage, business and education organisations to oversee the management of Bath as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As Chairman, Professor Gilbertson will be independent of Bath & North East Somerset Council, which acts as chief steward for the World Heritage Site under authority delegated from UNESCO to the UK Government through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport down to the local Council.
A Chartered Surveyor by training, his extensive career as a former equity partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and his subsequent experience as a corporate chairman or director of four public companies in Austria, Canada and the UK will support him well in this role.
He served as the 123rd President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in 2004/5 and has held advisory roles with the United Nations Real Estate Advisory Group, the Bank of England and the UK Government.
His career has taken him around the world to 34 countries and has involved responsibility for major international schemes.
He currently serves on the Council of the University of Bath, holds the title of Visiting Professor at Northumbria University in Newcastle and the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester and has been a visiting lecturer at 21 universities worldwide.
Professor Gilbertson lives in Bath and is the current Chairman of the Circus Area Resident’s Association. He stood down as a Trustee of the Bath Preservation Trust in order to ensure his independence in undertaking his new important role for the city.
Professor Gilbertson said: “It would be an esteemed honour to be appointed to this role at any time. However, I feel particularly honoured to have been chosen at a time when the future of our city’s prosperity requires such a delicate balance between the protection and enhancement of our heritage and the desire to expand our office business community, supported by more housing and commerce.
Our city is the only European city, other than Venice, to hold the inscription of Outstanding Universal Value for the entire urban area.
“The way that our heritage has been protected is an acknowledged example of how a modern living city can successfully co-exist with an internationally acclaimed World Heritage Site. We are not our past, but Bath’s past must influence our future, as an extraordinary place to live, work and play.
“Our unique Roman and Georgian heritage, the Scheduled Ancient Monument sites, our more than five thousand Listed Buildings, the Hot Springs and our beautiful green countryside setting, must all be passed on safely for the enjoyment of future generations of residents and visitors alike.”
Councillor Paul Myers (Conservative, Midsomer Norton Redfield), Bath and North East Somerset Council Cabinet Member for Economic and Community Regeneration, said: “I am delighted that Professor Gilbertson has accepted this key position.
“His experience and expertise make him uniquely qualified to undertake this role, so crucial to the future wellbeing of our city. We are entering a period of significant change and the World Heritage Site Steering Group provides an essential forum to ensure that the balance between conservation and change is properly considered and maintained.”
Professor Gilbertson began his voluntary role in early July and will serve an initial three year term.
