AN HISTORIC Basingstoke house is set to be reduced to rubble - possibly paving the way for flats to be built on the site.

Fieldways in Russell Road was the home of famous Basingstoke builder Harry Mussellwhite, who built it for himself after developing a number of houses in the area at the end of the 19th century.

Now the home's current owner, Farmglade Ltd, is planning to demolish the property in October - a move that has horrified campaigners who have fought to save it. Brian Lawes, chairman of Basingstoke Heritage Society, said: "We have lost another historic building in Basingstoke. There's no way of saving it now. There do not seem to be any sympathies as far as the historical side of the town is concerned.

"Fieldways is of considerable importance to the town. Mussellwhite was a builder of some repute and he was responsible for the building of a number of listed properties."

Farmglade, which had an application to knock down Fieldways and build 12 two-bedroomed flats on the site turned down in July, has put up public notices of its intention to demolish the home and informed Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Mr Lawes believes the demolition will boost Farmglade's chances of succeeding with a new development application.

He said: "We believe the developers have pushed ahead with this so they can have a clean slate with a brownfield site and say 'This is what we want to do with it'.

"In the present climate, there is a lot of pressure for brown-field sites to be developed, so they would probably be allowed to go ahead."

The heritage society applied for Fieldways to be listed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in a bid to protect it, but this was rejected and the house is now doomed.

Mr Lawes said: "We have done everything we can and fought all the way to keep this building for the town and it is a disgrace that we have to lose it."

Farmgate declined to comment, but David Lewis, an architect who has worked with the company on the Fieldways project, argued that the site has very little historical merit.

He said: "Fieldways is built in the domestic revival style which was popularised in Britain in the 1880s and '90s but the house was built years after this.

"Fieldways, in my opinion, is a very late, very typical and thoroughly unexceptional example of this style."

Do you have a view on the future of Fieldways? Do you think more should, and could, be done to protect, preserve or promote the town's heritage? Write to The Letters Editor, Gazette Newspapers, Gazette House, Pelton Road, Basingstoke, RG21 6YD or e-mail editor@basingstokegazette.co.uk

First published: Tuesday, August 30, 2005