Four historic buildings in the Bradford area have been spotlighted as being at risk from falling into decay.

Also exposed as under threat in a Heritage at Risk report published by English Heritage are seven conservation areas in the district.

Included for the first time is Haworth where, the report says, historic streets and buildings have been eroded by cumulative minor changes and lack of investment.

The report is the most in-depth study ever undertaken into the state of the region’s historic treasures by English Heritage.

Its publication comes as Bradford Council announces plans to spend £600,000 over three years repairing and restoring the setts in Haworth’s Main Street.

The four buildings at risk are Manningham Mills, Leventhorpe Hall in Thornton Road, Bradford, the mill building at Low Mills, Keighley, and Waterloo Mill in Howden Road, Silsden.

Joining Haworth in the conservation areas under threat are Devonshire Park and Cliffe Castle Park in Keighley, the villages of Great Horton, Thornton, Idle and The Green, Keighley town centre and North Park Road, Bradford. Whinburn, in Keighley, a grade-II registered park and garden, is also on the list.

English Heritage’s regional director Trevor Mitchell yesterday visited Haworth to see the problems for himself.

He said: “The economic downturn has added to the challenges of finding long-term solutions for the buildings on the register. We must be careful to prioritise our action, with particular concern for the region’s great industrial buildings, such as the textile mills.”

Christine Kerrin, City Hall’s team leader for design and conservation said the Council was keen to work with the owners of the buildings to encourage them to get them back into order.

“Manningham Mill is not as much at risk as it was but the development of Low Mill is on hold,”she said.

The problems in conservation areas were not a surprise to the Council and action was being taken to get Heritage Lottery cash to improve Cliffe Castle, and the setts in Haworth would be repaired from the next financial year, she said.

City Hall had set up conservation forums to give help and advice to people living in historic homes.

SITES AT RISK

On the English Heritage ‘at risk’ list are:

Manningham Mill; Leventhorpe Hall; mill building, Low Mills, Keighley; Waterloo Mill, Silsden; Whinburn, Keighley; Devonshire Park and Cliffe Castle, Keighley; Great Horton conservation area; Haworth; Idle and The Green conservation area; Keighley town centre; North Park Road conservation area; Thornton conservation area; Round Dykes Camp, Addingham Low Moor; rocks and cairns, Pennythorn Hill, Baildon; rocks and cairns, Glovershaw quarry, Baildon; Soldier’s Trench, Baildon; cairn, Baildon Hill; cairn north of Woodhead, Harden Moor; Twelve Apostles stone circle, Burley Moor; Castle Stead Ring, Cullingworth; Catstones Ring, Cullingworth; cairn at Rombalds Moor, Ilkley; Cairnfield, Gill Head Reservoir, Ilkley; Hanging Stone Rock, Ilkley; Green Crag Enclosure, Ilkley; rocks in path, Cow and Calf Rocks, Ilkley; late prehistoric enclosed settlement north of Shaygate Farm, Wilsden.