A PROPOSAL by Railtrack to carry out maintenance and improvement works at Hellifield Station has been rejected.

Craven District Council planners turned down an application for listed building consent after a site visit for fear of stripping the station of its historic character.

The application included alterations to the subway entrance and platforms, demolishing timber buildings and a concrete wall, and erecting new railings.

Peter Appleby, on behalf of Railtrack, said: "The work at Hellifield is part of the national Station Regeneration Programme and is to be done to that part of the station which is not leased to the West Coast Railway Company.

"Some of this work includes raising the platforms to meet health and safety regulations for people stepping on and off trains."

He also outlined other safety aspects to be addressed including the removal of a concrete safety wall and replacing it with replica railings, and the filling of the central bay platform with gravel.

English Heritage was particularly concerned about the plans stating: "the proposed works will remove a significant part of the historic fabric of the station and remove historic evidence of the original phase of the station's development."

It also expressed concern over proposals to remove original coping stones.

However, the Railway Heritage Trust said it had no comments and confirmed it had offered Railtrack a grant towards the cost of the subway handrail.

Hellifield resident William Henry Swain hit out at the proposals. "I don't know where we are going with this application," he said.

He felt the sloping platforms were "stupid" and would make things very difficult for people pushing wheelchairs. He also felt the timber buildings should be preserved as they were historically valuable. "Railtrack are incompetent," he added.

Coun Beth Graham was equally opposed to the plans fearing the station would lose its character. "Synthetic coping stones should not be used at a heritage site," she said.

Coun Graham also remarked on the timber buildings saying they were a "handsome feature" in their heyday and suggested that, should they have to be removed, they should be moved elsewhere.

"They could be restored and put to some use; perhaps arrange for their adoption by someone else," she suggested.

As well as the feared loss of character, much concern was directed to the fact only part of the station was proposed to be altered - the part owned by Railtrack - and the raising of only part of the platform would cause problems for people alighting from long trains.

"Maybe it would prompt the owners of the other part to carry out alterations," suggested Coun Ellen Chapman.

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