London landmarks deemed 'at risk'

Tourism officials say London's landmarks are not at risk

A leading guidebook publisher has included some of London's best-loved sites on a list of attractions that are worth seeing before they vanish.

Frommer's new "500 Places to See Before They Disappear" includes the Tower of London and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich on its 'endangered' list.

The author, Holly Hughes, maintains that climate change, decay and over-development are the key culprits.

But operators said London's heritage will be around for generations to come.

The new guidebook also lists Battersea power station, the Strawberry Hill folly in Twickenham, west London, and a tiny Georgian street in north London's Kentish Town as being at risk.0

I think these claims are somewhat sensationalist and there is no doubt these iconic places are going to be around for generations to come Rania Wannous, Visit London

Sally Smith, a spokeswoman for Frommer's guides, told BBC News that in the case of the Tower of London - home to the Crown Jewels - water was the creeping enemy.

"For anyone living in London [the Tower of London] is a key part of our heritage," she said.

"It has nearly 900 years of history and it is under threat because the land is sinking and that means it gets flooded regularly."

Rising waters

But tower spokesman Keith Cima said: "We take prudent precautions to make sure we are prepared in the future if the water does come very high."

The rising waters of the River Thames have also put the Greenwich Maritime Museum on the list of places that could disappear before the end of the century.

Rania Wannous of Visit London said London's landmarks were well protected by the Thames Barrier and reassured Londoners and visitors that the list was a bit premature.

"I think these claims are somewhat sensationalist and there is no doubt these iconic places are going to be around for generations to come."

The guidebook also lists Little Green Street in Kentish Town as one of London's last remaining examples of a typical Georgian street and worries that developers will erase its unique character with the passage of time.

Ms Hughes also fears that Battersea power station's ongoing development limbo will stop it being preserved in the long term.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7694134.stm