RESIDENTS of Hunton Bridge have vowed to fight plans to demolish an 18th Century building in the village.

Nik Oakley, chair of the Hunton Bridge Residents Association, said: "The bulldozers won't be going in without trouble."

Fairview New Homes Ltd has applied for conservation area consent from Three Rivers District Council to demolish the building, known as The Limes, on Bridge Road, Hunton Bridge.

The Georgian building is at the front of the Junction Park Industrial Estate, where Fairview New Homes Ltd has also applied for permission to build a new housing estate.

Ms Oakley said: "The Limes is historically important to the village. In the late 18th Century it was occupied by benefactors to the village. Architecturally it is a fairly standard Georgian building and its loss would alter the street scene."

Jonathan Rush, of Rush Communications, who is representing Fairview New Homes, said they have "no alternative" but to pull the building down.

He said: "It is structurally unsound and can't be converted. No responsible developer would take the risk on it."Residents on Bridge Road said they would like the building to be preserved because it is a part of the village.

They are opposed to Fairview New Homes Ltd plans to create a housing estate including 145 residents units, three commercial units including local shops, parking spaces, access and landscaping.

This application was submitted in November after a proposal for a similar 149-house development was withdrawn because of the fierce opposition from the local community.

The revised plans can be viewed at www.fairview.co.uk/huntonbridge.

Anyone who would like to comment on the plans to demolish The Limes can write to: Three Rivers District Council, Planning and Leisure Department, Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 1RL, by Thursday, January 20.