The Scotsman

A call has been made to list the famous Churchill Barriers in Orkney as a World Heritage Site as the landmarks reach their 60th anniversary. Events have been held this week to mark one of the Second World War's greatest construction projects, which still plays a vital part in the island way of life today. Geoffrey Stell, an authority on wartime defences and a former head of architecture at the Royal Commission, said the barriers should be listed: "At the time they were built they were completely innovative and I think they are of world heritage status on account of their outstanding historical and engineering interest." Sixty years ago yesterday saw the official opening of the barriers - four large causeways built as a strategic defence project, which ironically came into use as roads after the war ended.