A CAMPAIGNER has urged Darlington residents to help him draw up a list of the town's protected buildings.

Julian French successfully led a drive to save a 19th Century period house from demolition earlier this year.

But during his work to save the house, in Milbank Road, from being turned into new homes, he found a little-known council policy to protect buildings of local character and townscape value, which are otherwise unprotected.

He now wants to help council planning officers to draw up the list, which he says would save the town's heritage.

But council officers have said priorities lie with conservation areas and other listed buildings.

Mr French, of Milbank Road, in the Pierremont area of Darlington, said: "If the list doesn't exist, it would not be unreasonable for the residents of Darlington to give their opinions about which buildings should be worthy of credit to receive, maybe not protection, but extra consideration for planning applications."

Earlier this year, plans were submitted to demolish a Victorian house in Milbank Road, as well as two newer homes.

A block of ten apartments and seven new homes were proposed in their place.

The plans were refused by councillors, despite planning officers recommending approval.

The applicant has now submitted an appeal to the Government inspector.

Mr French, who said the home was built in about 1850, said: "It is a beautiful period house. At some time the owner has put in a planning application to knock that down and the two adjacent properties, which are far more recent.

"I don't think there would be much complaints about those two.

"There is a whole host of similar buildings outside the conservation areas. The list will give the council an indication, when those buildings are considered, if they are worthy of merit."

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: "Preparing a non-statutory list would not give the council powers to stop demolition of, or in many cases, unsympathetic alterations to buildings.

"Consent for demolition is not generally required, the main exceptions being for listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas.

"The council has therefore given higher priority to policies which would give it greater control by, for example, extending conservation areas or designating new ones, preparing conservation area appraisals that identify buildings of local character, and publishing a register of listed buildings it considers to be at varying degrees of risk."