THE fight to save historic St Brigid's church and hall at Crossley has been dealt a blow, with fears growing that there is little to protect the buildings from demolition.Moyne Shire councillors this week voted down a push for an interim heritage protection order on the buildings, which date back 130 years. The councillors believed that supporting Cr Colin Ryan's motion to write to Planning Minister Justin Madden requesting an immediate interim heritage overlay on the buildings might appear "suspicious". Cr Mick Wolfe was concerned that if the council supported the plan it might appear to have been acting "as a tool of the Friends of St Brigid's" and "against any other person" wanting to submit a tender to buy the buildings. Cr Jim Doukas feared imposing the added protections would increase the price of the property, potentially shutting out other potential buyers. Friends of St Brigid's secretary Teresa O'Brien yesterday said she was initially shocked by the council's decision, made on Tuesday night, but she could understand its position. "Essentially it's about protecting the building," she said."If Moyne Shire aren't able to do it due to the tender process we'll go to the (Planning) Minister."The Catholic Church is calling for prospective buyers to lodge tenders by July 17. Friends of St Brigid's has raised more than $40,000 towards its bid to buy the buildings, including more than $10,000 at a music concert held in the buildings on June 20. In 2006, heritage expert Helen Doyle completed a study for Moyne Shire which recommended that the St Brigid's buildings be nominated for the Victorian Heritage Register and relevant protections be put in place."There's no point in saying it should have been done," Ms O'Brien said. "It wasn't done."There's nothing to stop them saying 'can we have the order put on it the day after the tender is awarded'." Ms O'Brien said the only consolation the group held was the likely delays any new owner would face to secure permits to either alter or demolish the buildings. "There are some good things about the slow wheels of bureacracy," she said.Moyne Shire sustainable development director Oliver Moles said the minister's office was likely to contact the council for its view on the order before imposing it and the process could take at least a week.