Conservationists have clashed over plans to restore one of Guiseley's historic landmarks.

Members of Project Guiseley want to clean up Guiseley Wells in Well Lane and have applied to Leeds City Council to put up 1.8 metre high gates and a 1.35 metre high wall around the site.

But another society has been set up to oppose the application because it believes Project Guiseley does not have the best interest of the wells at heart.

Geoff Brook, president of the newly-formed Guiseley Wells Society, said Project Guiseley had displayed a profound lack of knowledge of the original aspect of the ancient wells.

He said: "Objections brought to their attention, detailing the futility of putting up a wall and fence to enclose the wells, have persistently fallen on deaf ears."

And he said objections to Project Guiseley's plans had been made clear at a public meeting in March.

Mr Brook added: "It was this action that led to the formation of the Guiseley Wells Society, to offer alternative suggestions of ways to restore the site."

And he believes the two groups should get together and talk to Leeds City Council to come up with other plans for the wells which would be more durable, vandal-proof and attractive than the scheme put forward by Project Guiseley.

Guiseley Wells Society members say the wells should be restored to the way they were before the early 1970s when the site was reduced to make way for road improvements.

And they are now looking at the possibility of returning the wells to common ownership and control under the ancient rights and laws. Members are to lobby the Government pointing out 'rights of common', which have existed for almost 1,000 years.

But Richard Hughes-Rowlands, chairman of Project Guiseley, said final plans for the wells had not been made.

He said: "We want to restore the wells to what they were like in Victorian times and it was thought that a small wall with gates would be suitable and would help stop rubbish blowing into the wells.

"If the people of Guiseley don't want a wall and gates then that is all right. No decision has yet been made and the work cannot begin until we raise about £1,500."

Mr Hughes-Rowlands said members of the Guiseley Wells Society would be welcome to attend the next meeting of Project Guiseley on May 19.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.