THE safeguarding of the historic Burrator dam complex by the Government has been welcomed by conservationists — but Dartmoor National Park has warned the move may not prevent South West Water developing its commercial interests at the site.

Both the dam and the lodge were listed as Grade II buildings of special architectural and historic interest by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on September 5.

The application was made by the Dartmoor National Park Authority at the request of members following their recent refusal to grant SWW permission to turn the lodge into a café and visitor centre.

The giant utility's plans aroused anger on a huge scale from people worried that the company wanted to turn an area of peace and tranquillity — largely untouched since it was built more than a 100 years ago — into a 'honey pot' for tourists.

Dr Tom Greeves, chairman of the Dartmoor Society, said: 'This is very welcome news. It would seem that the DCMS, on the advice of English Heritage, has at last recognised what we have long argued, namely that the complex of structures at Burrator reservoir are a remarkable legacy of late Victorian engineering ingenuity and deserve protection.'

Previous attempts were made to list the lodge in 1996 and 1998 without success.

The most recent request included the dam and was largely successful because Dr Greeves was able to furnish the DNPA with information on similar listed reservoir complexes elsewhere in the UK, such as the Derwent and Howden dams, both designed by Edward Sandeman, the engineer responsible for Burrator.

He said: 'We are particularly pleased the DCMS has drawn attention to the importance of the internal features of Burrator lodge which are largely intact and include the fine staircase which was to have been removed by SWW.

It must now recognise that the lodge is a nationally important building, linked to the dam and other features. We hope to work with them to find an appropriate non-commercial use for the lodge.'

Graham Ledger, chairman of the Friends of Burrator, said: 'I was absolutely delighted and amazed — we are delighted — with this news as, over the last five years, we have been fighting to retain the existing beauty of this area.

'We hope the listing will enable the local environment to remain as it is for the future for the many visitors and local lovers of Burrator. Nevertheless, as a group we will continue to act the part of watchdog as before.'

But Dartmoor National Park Authority's head of archaeology and historical buildings, Debbie Griffiths, warned that listing the structures would not stop change in itself.

'We could allow a listed building to undergo alterations as long as it was appropriate for that structure,' she said.

Evelyn Stacey, director of South West Lakes Trust, a charity which now manages various lands, including Burrator, for South West Water, said they hadn't yet heard about the listing and felt it inappropriate to comment.

She added that the SW Lakes Trust appreciated the conservation and amenity value of the land and property in its care and was pleased to have been entrusted with the stewardship of the Burrator estate.

She said the trust was committed to managing it in an environmentally sensitive and appropriate manner.