Last week the Courier reported that English Heritage had raised concerns over the future of Warwick Crown Court as well as significant Georgian houses in Northgate Street and nearby Northgate House.

All are owned by Warwickshire County Council and all are due to be redeveloped in coming years.

It is part of modernisation of council buildings but the authority's head of property Steve Smith says the authority takes its responsibilities for conservation seriously.

One building affected is Northgate House, one of the first homes in Warwick to be built after the great fire in 1694 and for years occupied by the council's staff club.

Fears were raised that conversion to a training and meeting centre might result in the loss of historic staircases, fireplaces and panelling, but Mr Smith said he would be working with English Heritage to safeguard these.

He added: "We intend to bring the building back to its former glory and expose and renew lost or hidden architectural features."

Former education offices in Northgate Street will be sold to Warwick developer the Sandpiper group, providing planning permission is granted.

But falling house prices mean the Sandpiper's design has packed 33 flats and houses into the street to recoup the purchase price. English Heritage feared similar features would be lost if the former townhouses were converted too intensively.

Mr Smith said he recognised any development must be "high quality" and give proper regard to conservation, and said it was up to the developer to meet these challenges.

He added that the county council had published a conservation statement governing changes to its property in May 2007, which it saw as a "statement of intent".