The developer behind a controversial attempt to demolish a Victorian school building and replace it with flats has appealed the decision to refuse him permission.

Planners at Swindon Borough Council turned down Sukh Mander’s bid to knock down the school on the corner of Radnor and Clifton Street in March.

The appeal means the school will remain half demolished for weeks, and perhaps months until the matter is resolved, and residents are not happy.

They said its demolition would “result in the loss of a building of local significance, for which there is insufficient justification”.

One neighbour, James Overman said: “It’s an absolute eyesore, and it’s dangerous. Kids can’t walk down past it when they go to school.

“There’s a fence up around it, but it’s not that hard to get through.”

Mr Overman said the site had been left more secure when demolition has been halted: “It was left in a reasonable state but now the tiles can be blown off in the wind, and the timbers are exposed.

"They’ll be no good after a short while being open to the weather.

“Something really needs to be sorted out.”

Another resident, Sylvia Davies said: “ It’s not nice having to see this every day.”

Mr Mander was served with an enforcement notice by the council demanding he restore the building after its partial demolition.

He has also appealed against that decision and the matter will now be decided by a planning inspector.

He says the building is not that important and his application says: “There are no specific historic, architectural or design elements of the building that are worthy of listing the school as a building of architectural or historic interest.

“There are no specific elements of the school that are unique in terms of schools of this era.”

His planning agent DPDS, based in Swindon, said he was not able to make further comment.

Mr Mander has previously said he believed he had permission to knock down the building.

As well as his planning appeal, the enforcement notice will come to court later this year.