Liverpool stripped of UNESCO World Heritage city status

Liverpool has lost its title as a UNESCO World Heritage city over an "irreversible loss of attributes" special to the area.

UNESCO said development of Liverpool's waterfront had detracted from its "outstanding universal value" and was "detrimental to the site's authenticity and integrity".

"Any deletion from the World Heritage List is a loss to the international community," the World Heritage Committee said.

Liverpool held world heritage status since 2004. UNESCO warned in 2012 that construction could lead to the accolade's removal.

The city is one of only three to have sites delisted. The others were the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman and Germany's Dresden Elbe Valley.