For nearly 200 years a house in a leafy street in Twickenham has stood tall and proud, admired by passersby and neighbours.

That is until last Friday when the Georgian building in Trafalgar Road was flattened without warning, to the horror of surrounding residents.

The Richmond and Twickenham Times was inundated with calls this week after the property – in a conservation area – was bulldozed without permission.

The demolition was labelled a “piece of vandalism” by chairman of the Trafalgar Road Residents’ Association, Michael Mahon, in a letter sent to residents in the road.

When we contacted Mr Mahon, he said: “The reaction from residents is shock at what has happened and in particular at the speed which it happened. There is a sense of disbelief something like this could happen in Trafalgar Road.”

He called for a public meeting so neighbours could make their voices heard over the demolition.

Richmond Council granted permission for a two-storey extension and basement to be built on the side of the property in June. It came after planning officers said it would not harm the “setting, character and appearance of this and surrounding buildings of townscape merit” or be “detrimental to the character and appearance” of the surrounding conservation area.

The council said the application did not mention the historic house would be demolished.

Councillor Virginia Morris, the council’s cabinet member for environment and planning, said: “The council gave permission for a two-storey side extension to this house in June, but nowhere in the application was it said this would require the whole property to be demolished.

“The house is a designated building of townscape merit and is in a conservation area, and we’re now considering what action to take against the owner.”

A council spokesman added it was a "serious breach of planning control" and was "an enforcement issue".

The building's owner John Johnson claimed the council signed a demolition notice in September and this was confirmed by the council on October 7. But the council confirmed full planning permission had not been granted.

Mr Johnson said: "I don't think anyone at the moment truly knows what went wrong. There's clearly been a miscommunication.

"I will not know what's happened until I meet them [planning officers] on Monday.

"I believed I was following all the proceses and filled in all the correct forms."

He said he had always intended to rebuild the house and described the current suituation as "horrendous". He added he had been working for two-and-a-half years on different planning applications for the house and had gone out of his way to "make sure people are happy".

But a council spokesman added: "Demolition forms clearly state 'consent for demolition may be required under the planning acts', and that conservation area consent is required to demolish any building within a conservation area, as this property is.

"The notice sent back to the owner does not give permission, it only describes the legal requirements if the appropriate permission had been granted.

"In this case no permission had been granted."