Heritage in danger

As A Londoner who has visited New Lanark and seen some of the stunning surrounding countryside, including the Falls of Clyde, I’m appalled to see from Professor Stephens’ article “Selling Scotland’s heritage down the river” (Perspective, 6 January) that this area of great natural beauty and enormous historical interest is threatened with imminent destruction by commercial interests in search of short-term profit.

I hope Scottish Government ministers will recognise that they (and bodies such as Historic Scotland and the South Lanarkshire Council) are the trustees and custodians of a legacy that belongs first and foremost to Scotland, certainly, but also to Britain and to Europe and indeed the world.

An area of supreme natural beauty, once destroyed by quarrying or any other commercial defacement, can never be adequately “restored”.

The issue is the preservation of a special element of our common heritage; preserving its World Heritage status, however desirable, is strictly secondary.

Sir Brian Barder

Victoria Mews

Earlsfield, London