28/10/2008 08:12:00
A prominent travel guidebook has highlighted many of London's most iconic sites on a list of attractions worth seeing before they vanish.
Frommer's "500 Places to See Before They Disappear" lists sites such as the Tower of London, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich , the Battersea power station and the Strawberry Hill folly in Twickenham on its roster of 'endangered' attractions.
Little Green Street in Kentish Town is also specified as one of London's last remaining examples of a typical Georgian street, with worry that developers will eventually erase its unique character.
The author of the list, Holly Hughes, believes that over development and climate change will contribute immensely to the decay of such sites.
Sally Smith, a spokeswoman for Frommer's guides, told BBC News that flooding was the main problem in the case of the Tower of London - home to the Crown Jewels.
She said: "[The Tower of London] has nearly 900 years of history and it is under threat because the land is sinking and that means it gets flooded regularly."
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. Concerns have risen with the increasing instances of heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the UK.
However, Tower of London spokesperson Keith Cima said: "We take prudent precautions to make sure we are prepared in the future if the water does come very high."
Tourism officials have also contested the claim, saying London's heritage will endure for generations to come.
Rania Wannous of Visit London reassured Londoners and visitors that the city's landmarks were well protected by the Thames Barrier and that the list was a bit premature.
She told BBC News: "I think these claims are somewhat sensationalist and there is no doubt these iconic places are going to be around for generations to come."
