Residents in Buckden and Clapham are being asked to have their say on how best to help to conserve and enhance the special character of their villages.

Draft Conservation Area appraisals have been drawn up by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA). These aim to show what makes these villages so special and suggest some actions that might be taken to look after them in the future.

The drafts have been circulated so that people can say what they think about the proposals. The appraisals and a questionnaire can be found on the Authority website at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/conservationarea-appraisals.

The consultation period ends on July 16 for Buckden and on August 15 for Clapham.

Stuart Parsons, the YDNPA’s Member Champion for Conservation of Cultural Heritage, said: “The drafts contain a lot of really interesting information and proposals for the two areas and information from local people can help to make them even better.

“It is also vitally important that we have as much feedback as possible from residents about the proposals for future action, so we would ask people to take the time to respond as their contributions are invaluable.”

The illustrated reports contain brief histories of the villages and how they have developed. There are 37 conservation areas in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the National Park Authority is intending to produce appraisals for each of them.

Paper copies of the two drafts can be viewed at Clapham Village Hall and at Buckden Village Institute and at the Authority offices in Grassington and Bainbridge.