A COUNCIL conservation officer has claimed control over the future of a Victorian ticket office was limited because English Heritage failed to add the structure to 40 listed buildings in Saltburn during a survey of the town in 1999.

Stewart Ramsdale, conservation officer with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, made the claim during a question-and-answer session after speaking at the annual public assembly held by Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council.

He said: "It was suggested to English Heritage, but they decided not to list it. If they had, we would have had more control about what happened to it."

He had been questioned by Coun Jim Wingham, who has been critical of The Lookout being converted into a house, now called The Outlook, opposite the former Zetland Hotel.

"It should have been listed instead of being vandalised", Coun Wingham told the meeting at Saltburn Methodist Church Hall.

He said he had inquired about English Heritage's role, but was not given information by Mr Ramsdale's predecessor.

Coun Wingham said the building had been a ticket booth for entry into the Valley Gardens.

Mr Ramsdale was also asked by Coun Paul Smith, of Marske, about the centuries-old St Germain's Churchyard, Marske, which is one of 32 buildings in the town which are listed.

Coun Smith said more people were burying the ashes of deceased people near the cemetery walls. Their visits deterred vandals from causing damage.

Mr Ramsdale said he understood the churchyard was officially closed, so maintenance was the borough council's responsibility. The grass was cut and minor repairs carried out.

He added: "There are quite a number of churchyards in the borough which we are responsible for. A high budget is needed because a lot are in a poor condition."

He suggested that, if people were fixing memorials to stonework, lobbying of the council was needed for more money to be spent on churchyards.

During his talk, Mr Ramsdale said buildings were listed because they were of special architectural or historical interest, and said a conservation area was usually a group of listed buildings.

New listings in Saltburn included Britannia Terrace, the cliff lift buildings, the community centre, Marske Road Primary School, the art deco-style chalets on Saltburn bank, the Victorian mortuary beneath Cat Nab, and the railway viaduct.

At Marske, they included the Ship Inn and the adjacent red telephone box, the tithe barn in the High Street, and the war memorial in Redcar Road.

New Marske now has one listed building, Fell Briggs farmhouse in Grewgrass Lane.