PONTCYSYLLTE Aqueduct, Thomas Telford's amazing feat of engineering, could soon be listed as a World Heritage Site.
Wrexham Council has timed its application for the aqueduct to join a list - which includes Liverpool's Waterfront, the Great Wall of China and the Great Barrier Reef - to begin right in the middle of its 200th anniversary celebrations.
Consultants have now been appointed to evaluate the structure's historical significance. This is the start of a long process for the Trevor structure as it attempts to get on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The expert team of consultants is actually an association between two separate partnerships with expertise in different areas.
Chris Pound and Jane McDermott are both qualified architects with an expert knowledge of the World Heritage process, having worked on sites from Bath to Montenegro, and advised the Government on World Heritage issues.
The other group is led by Dr David Gwyn, an archaeologist who specialises in transport systems.
With him are Dr Barrie Trinder, who was involved in the project to get Blaenavon Industrial Landscape in South Wales listed, and Dr Ron Fitzgerald, who has considerable expertise in the field of historic engineering sites.
The consultants will produce a statement of significance by the end of September and their findings will be critical in determining whether the bid for World Heritage status can proceed.
If their findings are favourable, lobbying will commence for the aqueduct to gain this year's UK nomination for inclusion on the list.
The building of the aqueduct was considered an impossible feat by many when work was started. It carried the Llangollen canal over the Dee Valley and immediately opened up easier trade routes to the rest of Britain.
There are 26 UK World Heritage sites but only two in Wales: Blaenavon and the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward I in Gwynedd.
World Heritage Status gives the structures and places it is bestowed upon protection from development of any kind and means Wrexham will also have access to United Nations-approved experts in maintaining the aqueduct using methods and technology used when it was built to preserve its authenticity.
The bid is being jointly co-ordinated by Wrexham County Borough Council, British Waterways, CADW and the Royal Commission for Ancient Historic Monuments (Wales).
Dr Dawn Roberts, Economic Development manager at Wrexham County Borough Council, said: 'We are delighted to secure the services of such an accomplished team of experts for what is a task of major importance.
'The aqueduct represents a great historical resource for Wrexham and gaining World Heritage Status would be of great value to the local community as well as a real coup for the tourism profile of the county borough.'
Consultant Chris Pound said: 'I am thrilled to be part of the team working on such a fascinating structure.
'Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a spectacular achievement of waterways civil engineering and a testament to the brilliance of Thomas Telford.'
Fellow expert Dr Gwyn added: 'Pontcysyllte is already protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and we are excited by the prospect of investigating its wider historical significance.
'As a Welshman, I am doubly delighted to be involved on this project.'
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct celebrates its bicentenary in November this year.
