TAVISTOCK?S colourful history as a copper-rich mining town could soon see it placed alongside Beijing?s Summer Palace, the Galapagos Islands and the Giant?s Causeway as one of the world?s foremost heritage locations.

The long awaited draft proposal nominating the town and surrounding area for inclusion in the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage List was presented to West Devon Borough Council for approval on Tuesday night.

The document, which has taken more than three years to produce, cements Tavistock?s importance in mining history along with a number of specified collieries in Cornwall and West Devon.

Stephen Gill, planning officer for West Devon Borough Council, who is a member of the bid partnership and sits on the working group, said: ?It is the biggest and most complex bid ever submitted for consideration as a World Heritage Site.

?Obviously, many of the sites on the list are confined to a single geographical location, like Stonehenge or the Taj Mahal, but Cornwall?s mining heritage spreads right across the county and beyond.

?Tavistock?s heritage as a mining community is inextricably linked with Cornwall?s and the town provides an ideal crossing point between the two counties.

?With its already well-established identity as a cultural centre attracting both local people and tourists it is ideally suited to benefit from the planned heritage-led regeneration.?

Tavistock?s importance as a gateway to the region cannot be underestimated ? the town was largely rebuilt in the mid-19th century using profits from the copper mining industry, and many of its older institutions and dwellings provide direct links to the region?s mining history.

Remodelling of the town from 1840 onwards came primarily through the efforts of Sir Francis Russell, the then Duke of Bedford, who built cottages to provide desparately needed housing for miners working at what would prove to be the richest copper lode in the West Country ? Devon Great Consols mine.

The town landscape retains many features from its days as a copper mining community, including the Bedford cottages at Dolvin Road, Vigo Bridge and West Street.

Local groups are keen to see Tavistock accorded World Heritage Site status. John Taylor, chairman of Tavistock Forward, said: ?We are extremely supportive of this bid ? it will be excellent for the area and we very much hope to see it come to fruition.?

Tavistock Forward have been working alongside the World Heritage Office to promote the bid in Tavistock, and are hopeful that it will encourage further enhancements to the town.

One of the group?s long-standing projects is to renovate the police station and Guildhall once the local force headquarters moves next year.

Mr Taylor said: ?We would like to see the buildings put to a whole community use after that date and one idea would be to create a visitor centre exploring Tavistock?s importance within the World Heritage Site.

?It would be an ideal focal point for visitors to the town, and would mean that the guildhall and station would remain relevant to all sections of the town, from individuals to businesses.?

The bid has been produced by a partnership comprising members of various different organisations, including West Devon Borough and Cornwall County councils, English Heritage and the National Trust.

The draft nomination bid has been open for public consultation since the end of May and is available to view in public libraries and on the bid?s official website at http://www.cornish-mining.org.ukby">www.cornish-mining.org.ukby Chrissie Sumner