AN HOTEL, an old people's home, a company headquarters, shared ownership homes or a mix of upmarket apartments and family homes.

These are the main suggestions for the future of the last major redevelopment site in the heart of Beaconsfield foollowing last weekend's initial public consultation.

Developer St James, the Berkley Group subsidiary, invited local residents to the four acre Butlers Court site off Wattleton Road to meet its architect Alex Russell, along with St James's head of land and planning David Gilchrist, and planning consultant Tim Burden from Barton Willmore to discuss the options.

St James built the contemporary flats next to Wycombe Marsh Retail Park and has just started work on a major development on the adjoining sewage works site off London Road, High Wycombe.

Last weekend's public exhibition was to canvass local views on the Beaconsfield site brought from paper manufacturer Arjo Wiggans.

The company still has 60 office staff based in the Butlers Court mansion under a leaseback arrangement. Under the terms of the agreement, the paper company bosses have until the end of next year to relocate to new headquarters.

"We had about 100 people at the exhibition over the two days. We've never had that amount of people to previous exhibitions I've been involved with, it was an excellent response," said Gilchrist on Wednesday.

In 2001 Arjo Wiggans was given planning consent to demolish the present mansion at the site, and replace it with a 7,272sqm building incorporating 21st century facilities, but the new offices were never built.

"We anticipate that a company taking over the site for offices would have something in the region of 400 employees based here," says Gilchrist.

To test the demand for commercial use, the developers have instructed agents King Sturge to put the site on the market and invite offers for the freehold or a lease.

Meanwhile local councillors and residents are pressing English heritage to save the mansion from the bulldozers by adding it to the listed register.

Beaconsfield town mayor Henry Wilson says he is in favour of preserving Butlers Court.

"As for what's to happen to the house now, my first reaction was that it could be coverted into apartments or a residential home for the elderly.

"There's also a great need in this area for affordable homes. I do not like the concept of shared ownership for the kind of people who have been brought up in this area but can't afford to buy here.

"There are key workers who have to travel a long way to work in Beaconsfield. There should be more affordable homes for them."

The future of the site was due to be discussed at Thursday night's town council planning meeting.