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Main access road in Basing View

Dubbed the “Dallas of Hampshire” in the late 1970s, because of the concentration of high rise buildings, Basing View grew to become a symbol of the new growth of specialist business districts in the UK.
It is Basingstoke's principal central office location covering approximately 65 acres of land lying directly east of the town centre. At the time of writing Basing View has about 1.3 million square feet of office accommodation employing in the region of 5000 people. Major companies located in Basing View include the AA, Thales, Shoosmiths, Sun Life, Unum Provident, Penningtons Solicitors and Clydesdale Bank.
In 2011 the local council have started on an ambitious plan for regenerating Basing View. The first phase involves the demolition of two vacant 1970s 10 storey office blocks - City Wall House and Loddon House. To quote the council “They are now beyond their economic life and have come to symbolise the pressing need to improve the areas image”.
Perhaps if they had tenants it would not have been an issue. What I fail to understand is why the council think that this will help the area. At present there are at least seven other vacant office blocks. Are these “now beyond their economic life” and also ready for demolition?


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