The local authority wants a major development on the site

Despite the eleventh hour protests of local people and top architects it seems that the landmark was destined to be turned into rubble.

The factory was the brainchild of Lord Forrester who wanted to bring large scale post war work to the south Wales Valleys, which had been ravaged by the effects of the Depression in the 1930s.

He wanted to build a high quality factory which would be built in a way that would reduce the gap between managers and workers, who would share entrances and work spaces.

The resulting edifice, erected between 1947 and 1953, was considered to be the most inventive industrial building of its time.

Central to the plan and the greatest feat, structurally and aesthetically, were the nine domes covering the central production area.

The experience of creating such a complicated structure in concrete at Brynmawr fed usefully into one of the architect Ove Arup's later works, the Sydney Opera House.

The decaying factory is still an imposing place

Top architects have applauded the former Dunlop Semtex works, from Frank Lloyd Wright to Paul Zara, director of architecture for Sir Terence Conran.

During the past few weeks, local people have been staging nightly vigils and appealing to politicians.

There has been a flurry of letter writing and over a 1,000 names were gathered for a petition.

But all too late seemingly.

Despite many suggestions for new uses for the building - all of which would leave the domes in place - it seems that this architectural gem is set to become a car park.

The demolishers estimate it will take ten weeks to do the job.