THE BODY which granted world heritage status to Cornwall and West Devon's for its rich mining history was this week criticised as being 'pernicketty' for threatening to withdraw the designation if a row over the reopening of a tin mine could not be resolved.

UNESCO (the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), which granted world heritage status in 2006, has called a halt to work at South Crofty near Camborne, claiming it was not properly consulted before planning consent was given for it.

Millions of pounds have been drawn into the region on the back of the heritage status, including £7-million in the Tamar Valley and Tavistock alone to make some of its 120 mine sites safe and informative and create trails for exploration of the landscape and visitor attractions.

But there are stringent planning policies in place to control development around the key areas of the world heritage site.

Past and present champions of the project in West Devon and East Cornwall said this week they would be devastated if the area was to lose its status.

Cornwall Council gave permission for the reopening of South Crofty in late 2011, but although UNESCO had been informed of the intention to resume mining it appears it had not been told about the formal planning application.

In a statement, English Heritage, which is the Government's statutory advisor on world heritage sites, said the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was formally tasked with liaising with UNESCO, but added: 'DCMS is not required to provide a running commentary to UNESCO on every stage of the planning process unless specifically requested to do so.'

Deputy leader of Cornwall Council and chairman of the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Neil Burden said the reopening of mines in Cornwall should be celebrated and not detract from the mining history, which was a forerunner to the industrial revolution and deep mining and was of 'huge significance' to the world.

'You can conserve and celebrate but let's be real, if Cornwall and West Devon has things to offer because of its rich diversity of minerals under the surface I think we should utilise them.

'I am surprised UNESCO is concerned about South Crofty. I think it is being pernicketty.

'I thought the mining world heritage site celebrated the influence Cornish mining had on the rest of the world.

'There are places throughout the world which are more Cornish than we are, they keep the traditions and the culture. The world heritage site is about more than one particular site or scene.'

Stephen Gill, who was instrumental in getting West Devon included in the world heritage site, said when making its decision back in 2006 UNESCO had wanted a buffer zone around each of the key heritage site areas.

'We argued strongly against this in preference to putting planning policies in place so any development which had an adverse impact on the world heritage site would be refused.

'I think this issue over South Crofty and the redevelopment of the South Quay at Hayle, which is also very sensitive, raises awareness of just how important world heritage status is.

'I hope these issues can be resolved as I, for one, would be devastated if we lost this status.'

For the past six years the price of tin has been rising and South Crofty's current Canadian owner, the Celeste Copper Corporation, wants to resume mining. The company said it planned to extract tin and other metals, including zinc and copper, with the hope of creating at least 220 jobs.

A spokesperson for the Unesco press service said there were concerns that the significance of the historic role the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Heritage Site played in the industrial revolution for which it had gained 'Outstanding Universal Value' would be negatively impacted by the introduction of modern 21st Century mining methods.