THE fire-gutted former home of iconic author Daniel Defoe has been demolished.

The last remains of Tubswick, leased to the Robinson Crusoe author in 1722, have been knocked down ahead of a planning meeting tomorrow, where permission could be granted to build homes on the site.

Adrian and Faith Richardson, who sold the site to Mersea Homes in April, previously won planning permission to demolish the Grade II listed farmhouse, after it went up in flames in September 2009. It was hit by a further blaze this May.

Colchester MP Bob Russell said neglect of the building before the first fire meant the demolition, which took place earlier this month, was inevitable.

He said: “I think it’s desperately sad the oldest building in Mile End has been lost. It was lost because it was neglected.

“I think it reflects very badly on both the owners and Colchester Council this part of the town’s history has been lost.”

Tomorrow evening, Colchester Council’s planning committee will discuss plans to build nine homes on the site.

Planning officers say the application is an improvement on a previous one, which was submitted and then withdrawn, and should be approved, with conditions attached.

However, residents, Myland Community Council and borough councillors have all voiced objections.

They said the development would be too large and worsen traffic problems in Mile End.

Residents, in Bolsin Drive, also fear the new properties would tower over their homes, bec-ause they would be on higher ground.

Scott Greenhill, deputy chairman of the community council, had previously said: “If English Heritage says it doesn’t think it’s viable and recommends to demolish it, I don’t see what more we could do.

“While it would be lovely to keep it up, there’s been lots of additions over the various years in terms of extensions to the building.

“These more modern parts were the parts which stood up to the blaze, more than the older parts of the building.”

Mersea Homes were not available for comment.