The man who is about to take over the Mechanics' Institute paid a flying visit to the dilapidate Grade II listed building in the heart of the town's Railway Village to meet a privately invited delegation from Swindon Council and English Heritage

But Matthew Singh, of London-based Forefront Estates Ltd, made no comment to the Evening Advertiser regarding Forefront's intentions.

Forefront Estates Ltd is listed with Companies' House as a private limited company which has based at Watling Gate in Edgeware Road, London, since January.

Mr Singh, 39, of Eastcote, Middlesex, was appointed as company secretary of Forefront Estates Ltd this February. Derek Thomas, 68, of West Drayton, Middlesex, was appointed as director of the company in the same month.

Yesterday's specially invited delegation to visit the Mechanics' included councillor Kevin Small (Lab, Western) and newly appointed council leader Mike Bawden, (Con, Old Town & Lawns). They were joined by Chris Smith, assistant director of English Heritage in the South West and Robert Bruce, Swindon Borough Council's conservation officer.

Mr Bruce said a lot of work had already been done to tidy up the premises.

In March, the Evening Advertiser reported how Mr Singh had instigated workers to shift tonnes of rubbish from the 149-year-old building including logs, brushwood, beer cans, furniture, rotten floorboards and used syringes.

Mr Bruce said: "There has already been beneficial work done to the building, the need for which came as a result of years of neglect. But the fact is that the contracts have been exchanged but the sale is not completed, and by law I cannot confirm the new owner until the sale has been completed, in the same way as house buying."

He said although the new owners are still to be officially confirmed, they have done enough work to tidy the building in order for meetings to safely take place inside.

Forefront Estates had employed the services of architects Fielden Clegg Bradley who are the award winning design team behind the National Trust building in Swindon.

A spokesman for Fielden Clegg Bradley was unavailable for comment .

Mr Smith, of English Heritage, said: "We have been told there has been a change of ownership and a change in attitude regarding the building that goes with it.

"The new owners intend to re-use the building but they haven't told us how. No purpose has been clearly defined."

Coun Bawden said: "We want the problem solved, but it was surprising to see how good the structure is."

It is understood the soon-to-be-confirmed owners, who are buying the building from Mountmead Ltd, want to restore the building for a variety of uses, including part-residential.

Martha Parry, spokeswoman for the Mechanics Institute Preservation Trust, has been fighting to preserve the building said: "The Trust urges Swindon Council and English Heritage to issue an Urgent Works Notice, without further delay, to whomever is identified as being the legal owner."