PLANS to flatten a listed building for a TV show have been branded ridiculous by the grandson of the man who built it. The Lamb building in Bradford on Avon has been nominated for Channel 4 show Demolition.

Dr Alex Moulton, whose grandfather John Moulton built the listed building in the 1920s as part of the Avon Rubber Factory, has voiced his opposition to the idea.

Dr Moulton, 84, who lives next to the Kingston Mills site, said: "It's absolutely ridiculous. It's a sort of presumptuous way to behave.

"This is a matter of architectural significance and not a matter for a television company.

"The damn thing is listed. You cannot just de-list it. That's a major issue."

He said he was not a good judge of how attractive the building is but thought it should be preserved for historical reasons.

"It is an important early example of reinforced concrete construction," he said.

Annette Seekings, 65, of Church Street, who is fronting the campaign for the Lamb building to be demolished, described it as an eyesore and said it blocks the sunlight.

The producers of Demolition will form a shortlist of the country's most hated buildings before deciding which to flatten.

The Lamb, which overlooks the town bridge, is part of the Kingston Mills site which owners Taylor Woodrow hope to develop into a mixture of housing, shops, restaurants and offices.

Dr Moulton thinks rather than being flattened, the building should play a major role in the development and supports the progress being made over plans to develop the site. He said: "I think you have got to look at it this way. It is quite unsuitable to have a big rubber factory in the middle of the town so it is quite right that Avon Rubber removed it to Chippenham.

"So now we can't go on with a derelict site forever. One must be sympathetic to the movements of time."

Dr Moulton's great- grandfather Stephen Moulton founded Spencer Moulton rubber manufacturers in 1848 on the Kingston Mills site.

It was the first vulcanised rubber manufacturer in Europe and its successor was Avon Rubber, which has since become a global business.

During the Second World War the Lamb factory made components for war planes, and was camouflaged against enemy air attack.