The shape of things to come

These pictures come less than a month before developer Barratt opens a state-of-the-art sales centre on the site where it has demolished the 200,000 sq ft of grey concrete government offices that were Crown Buildings.

In the New Year, potential buyers on a waiting list will be invited for a preview of the £40 million scheme, where the first apartments on Churchill Way will be released at around £175,000.

Those buying from plan will have to wait until early 2003 to move in and the whole development project of 288 apartments is on a two to three-year build programme.

Next year Basingstoke will see the shape of things to come as Barratt starts building the two cresent-shaped buildings which will rise to 14 storeys and face each other across a landscaped courtyard.

The project has received the unanimous backing of Basingstoke planners.

David Pretty, Barratt Southern chairman, said: "We were delighted to win such resounding support for this classic example of recycling redundant land in a central urban location, and we are glad to be under way after the long demolition process.

"Crown Heights will not only transform an unattractive site, it will bring residential life into the heart of Basingstoke - and that is good news for the local economy as well as the social fabric of the town."

The council's planners reported described Crown Heights as providing a "flamboyant architectural cascade to Churchill Way which will both enrich the urban environment and provide a visual linkage between the surrounding buildings".

The shell of the nuclear bunker, originally built as part of Crown Buildings, will contain a health and fitness centre with a swimming pool, and the development will also have retail and restaurant amenities.

A new bridge will make an easy pedestrian link between Crown Heights and Festival Place.

Thirty of the apartments are allocated for shared ownership or rental by local people and another 25 will be exclusively for occupation by the active elderly.