UNESCO inspectors have called for changes to a £5.5bn skyscraper scheme in order to protect Liverpool's World Heritage Site status.

A much anticipated report of an inspection mission to the city's WHS will be published today.

We can exclusively reveal the report calls for developers Peel Holdings, the city council, and historic environment watchdog English Heritage to hammer out a compromise on the Liverpool Waters scheme to regenerate the city’s northern docklands.

But crucially the Post understands the report does not say what will happen to the city's WHS status if no changes are made to the project.

It had been feared the report could recommend stripping the city of the status if the scheme is given planning permission.

Today Liverpool council leader Joe Anderson said: “Given the comments that they made when they were here, it is not really surprising that they came to that view.

“From the city's point of view we want both – to retain the World Heritage Site status and to secure investment that the Peel project brings, so we will be working to reach a compromise.”

The city council's planning committee is due to consider Peel's application for the Liverpool Waters scheme on March 6.

The Unesco report will play a key role in helping policy makers in the city council decide how to handle the application.