A CAMPAIGN to get a famous Winchester landmark listed has failed, which could put its future in question.

Hockley Viaduct is not worth listing, the Government has decided.

A report by English Heritage for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, said it was "an impressive engineering structure given its great length and quantity of bricks."

But technologically, the viaduct was not as advanced as some notable examples built by the same engineer, which predated this structure.

"Therefore, it is not of sufficient architectural or historic interest to merit listing," said Chris Fosten, of the Department's historic environment department in a letter to the Friends of Hockley Viaduct.

He added: "I am sorry to have to send you a disappointing reply."

The four Friends of Hockley Viaduct -- Alan Weeks, Dr Edwin Course, Jeffrey Smith and Chris Webb -- now have to decide what to do next.

It is thought the viaduct is in urgent need of repairs which could cost around £100,000, but without a listing campaigners say grants towards that cost will be hard to come by.

"A lot of work has been put into this by the Friends," said Mr Webb, of Southgate Street,Winchester.

"We also got help from Southampton University industrial archaeology group 20 years ago, and we all did a lot of work to make the listing application. "The decision is disappointing. We wanted the building listed so that the City Council could apply for grants to put it into a state of repair.

"We have to sit down now and decide what we want to do, whether to challenge some of the statements made in the decision."

Alan Weeks, chairman of Winchester City Residents' Association, said: "We are interested in the viaduct's contribution to the landscape. It also acts as a shield to the presence of the motorway and its vehicles.

"It has potential as a pedestrian way into the city. We should approach the South Downs National Park Authority, once it's established, and seek their involvement in upkeep of this important landmark of Winchester's industrial age."

Pat Edwards, of City of Winchester Trust, said: "The Trust is obviously very disapppointed because the future of Hockley Viaduct is now in question.

"Without listing, it's not so easy to get funds to repair."

Hockley Viaduct was built in 1891 by the firm of Galbraith and Church as part of the link between the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway at Winchester and the London and South Western line at Shawford.

The viaduct was renovated in 1943-44 in the run-up to D-Day. It became disused as a railway viaduct from 1966 and ownership transferred to Winchester City Council.

Much of the parapet on one side is missing because of vandalism. Since 1970, it has adjoined the M3.

The 33-arch viaduct, externally of brick, is the longest in Hampshire.

It was rejected for listing in 1990 as a late railway viaduct without much architectural embellishment, which should be regarded as a brick rather than a concrete structure.