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One of Hounslow 's oldest buildings, which remains "at risk" more than a decade after being badly damaged in a fire, has been sold.

The Hermitage, in Upper Sutton Road, Heston , is a Grade II-listed 15th century cottage, believed to be possibly the borough's oldest surviving building.

The building was bought in April 2003 by Bellforce Developments, after the occupant died, and in June that year a fire destroyed the building's thatched roof.

The Hermitage was that year added by English Heritage (now Historic England) to its register of listed buildings at risk , on which it remains 13 years later.

(Image: Historic England)

During that time, the owner has produced various plans to restore or replace the historic building, with the work to be funded through additional development on the site, but Hounslow Council says no "realistic" proposals have been submitted.

It has now emerged the site was sold in March this year to to BMK Investment, based in Feltham.

'I decided enough was enough'

Gurmit Singh Bhullar, of Bellforce Developments, said he had sold the site at a loss after growing frustrated by the lack of progress.

"I was getting no cooperation from the local authority," he said.

"We did our best to try to get it developed and spent a lot of money, but I decided enough was enough.

"Let the council and the new owner see what they can do with it now."

The council says it is not clear whether there are any links between Bellforce and BMK, which was formed in April 2015, but Mr Bhullar insists there are none.

In a report published this month, the council accused the previous owner of allowing the site to become an "eyesore".

"It might appear that this neglect was a deliberate attempt to allow the building to decay beyond the point of retrieval," the report by Councillor Harleen Atwal Hear states.

The building is in danger of further collapse and there is no secure barrier to prevent access by rough sleepers, the report adds.

Council keen to work with new owner

The council says the priority is to secure the site's perimeter and it hopes to engage with the new owner and with Historic England to restore the site.

"Council officers have always made themselves available for such a course of action," the report states.

"As the site has been sold recently, the opportunity exists for the conservation officer/members to contact the new owners directly to begin a course of engagement."

The council says other options at its disposal include issuing the owner with a notice to tidy up the site, though it says this would be costly measure.

Is the building beyond salvation?

David Blackett, of Heston Residents' Association, said: "I want to see what's considered to be a realistic way forward with this building because it's totally and utterly dilapidated at the moment."

getwestlondon reported earlier this year how police had removed squatters from the site and were working with the then owner to get the building's Grade II listing withdrawn to increase the prospect of redevelopment.

Mr Bhullar has previously said the building is in such a state of disrepair, it would have to be demolished and replaced with a replica.