A PRESERVATION society has found itself on the other side of the

fence after submitting plans to change the windows of an historic chapel.

For Ilkley councillors are opposing the proposal by Bradford Building Preservation Trust to insert in the listed building's traditional arched windows small square ones opening on a central pivot.

The planned changes to the near derelict North Chapel in Ashlands Cemetery, Ilkley, have been labelled unnecessary and out of keeping by parish council members.

The trust wants to carry out the work to enable it to use the premises as a studio and workshop. Ironically, while the parish council supports the change of use, it is considering

recommending refusal to the window replacements. The issue will be raised again at the parish planning meeting on Tuesday

Planning committee chairman Councillor Audrey Brand said: "The chapel has been falling almost into dereliction because it has not been used for so long. It is a good sound building but it does need modernising."

She said the cemetery's South Chapel had already been refurbished and was used by the group for the storage of archives and historical documents. And she stressed that the parish council welcomed plans to put the second chapel to good use.

But she added: "We are concerned about the alterations to the windows because it is a listed building. We don't really feel that those new

windows are necessary and we don't feel they are in keeping with a listed building."

She said that the council was not raising any objections to proposed alterations to two doors or to

the installation of a kitchen and toilet.

"We have not refused the whole lot," she said. "We have just refused the windows because we feel they are out of character.

"We do feel that this is a good use of the building. We would like to see it being occupied. It is better to be used than to fall into dereliction."

Councillor Lexa Robinson, who has championed the cause of the cemetery for the last eight years, said it was important that the North Chapel was put into use.

"The worst thing that could happen would be for it to become derelict," she told the Gazette. "If someone moves in it would

help to deter vandals in the cemetery.

There would be more people

around."

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "Two planning applications have been submitted by Bradford Preservation Trust.

"The trust has applied for listed building consent to make minor changes to the outside of the building and also to change the building into an office/studio and install a

toilet and ventilation. The applications will be determined at a future date.

"The trust helps the council secure the long-term future of historic

buildings by trying to attract small businesses to use and maintain them.

"South Chapel in the cemetery is currently used by a private

company."

l The preservation trust also

plans the reclamation of more

than 30 headstones which were moved to the cemetery from a

churchyard in Ilkley more than 30 years ago.

Under the proposals, the stones would be displayed around the outside of the chapel.