THE first step has been taken towards establishing a conservation area in Earby, but people in the town will decide if they want it.

When Earby Parish Council met, most members backed a resolution from its environmental working group to designate a conservation area within the town.

Its aims would be to protect the most historically and architecturally important parts of Earby, to preserve and improve existing buildings and to ensure new buildings blended in well with their surroundings.

Not all the parish councillors were in favour of the idea, with Coun Vic Marsh speaking against it strongly.

"I've made no bones about this ever since this idea was first initiated," he said. "For the average person it will mean nothing, only aggravation. We've already got enough bodies overlooking everything in this town."

He said a conservation area would place unnecessary restrictions on what people could and couldn't do with their homes.

Some historic buildings, such as the lead mines museum at the Old Grammar School, would benefit from being in a conservation area, opening up extra opportunities for grant aid. But that wasn't sufficient reason to put extra burdens on ordinary people, he said.

"I don't believe people should be having to answer to another bureaucratic officer just because somewhere some building might benefit."

But Coun Morris Horsfield said conservation areas were not about putting unnecessary restrictions on people, and it was not the same as listed buildings.

"Conservation is about bringing the place back up to standard," he said. "It doesn't stop anything happening, but you do have more say in how it happens. Everywhere that's got it looks better. Barnoldswick has done very well out of it."

Coun Tim Haigh agreed, saying: "There are parts of Earby that could benefit from being designated a conservation area, after full consultation with the people who live there. We would be saying these are the areas where we don't want to see substantial change."

Coun Lucille Mitchell said it wasn't a question of dictating to individuals what kind of windows they could put in.

"It is about protecting the best of Earby and ensuring high standards in the future," she said.

Chairman Coun Chris Tennant stressed the final decision rested with local people. "This resolution is saying we want it, but that doesn't mean it will happen. However, nothing at all can happen until we take a decision."