Pound Farm House in Main Road, Dovercourt is dilapidated to the point where part of the back of the Grade II listed building had already collapsed.

It is thought theft of lead from the roof gully between the main house and an extension caused leaks and severe damage to the structure.

The back of the home is so unstable it has been unsafe for anyone to enter.

But builders have now cleared the land behind, making way for 30 new two and three-bedroom bungalows, taking away a collapsed listed bakehouse that could not be salvaged.

Work is ongoing to build the new homes alongside the restoration of the 17th century farmhouse, which has been listed since June 1964.

Mark Brown, managing director of Grantchester Construction, which is carrying out the work, said: "It is unsafe at the moment, we have to put a timber frame up to support the back of the building to allow us in to see the damage from over the years.

"There is a lot of work in bringing the house back up to something the area will be proud of, bringing it back to its former glory.

"It's probably six or seven months of work on that building alone."

Mr Brown said red tape has held up the project since it started with trying to get planning permission six years ago - the first spade went in the ground in November.

The state of the farm house has been controversial, with major concerns about its condition raised since 2005.

"All the damage that has been done in those six years," Mr Brown added.

"We are picking up the pieces of that.

"Another year and that farmhouse would not have been here, which would have been a terrible shame."

Mr Brown also quashed rumours he said were circulating in the town of gold being found buried in the garden, but is keen to see what historic memories could be uncovered inside the old building when workers get inside.

The whole project is hoped to be completed in 12 months.