The protection of Britain's architectural heritage reached new levels yesterday when it emerged that an £80m development was being blocked to save England's "fourth earliest" multi-storey car park.

But lest this distinction for the site, on the corner of Brewer Street in London's Soho, seems an inadequate reason, it has been pointed out that it is also the "third earliest with ramps".

English Heritage has placed a Grade II listing on the car park which has been in service since 1929.