A decade-old empty building on a housing estate was demolished on the request of Cardiff Council this week, despite protests from its owner and a petition with more than 150 signatures from nearby residents to save it.

The old sales office for the Windsor Quay housing estate in Grangetown was given only temporary planning permission by the council, which expired in 2005.

Local resident Tom Hargroves next to the rubble of the building

But fitness group Nia Cardiff began the 168-signature petition to save the building, which was torn down on Monday. The group wanted to hold classes in the vacant structure.

Neither Nia Cardiff instructor Sam Hyde, 32, nor Grangetown councillor David Morgan, who sits on the council planning committee, were told of the demolition.

Ms Hyde, who lives in Windsor Quay, said: “We’re just shocked. We are in a situation where the government is supposed to be making more of us active, and the owners of the building, Charles Church, were happy to give us the facility rent-free.”

“Everyone we spoke to said it was a good idea. We feel we were misled by the council planning department because we were encouraged not to put forward a change of use application.

“But the previous application was to turn the building into a church with a steeple. Our needs would have been different and we would have walked or cycled to the centre.”

Ms Hyde runs classes in the Nia technique, a holistic therapy incorporating dance, martial arts and healing methods.

“I have been teaching in the Cardiff area for seven years, and we have never had a permanent home,” she said. “We wanted a safe space which was clean and tidy. Other places we have had to hire out were dirty and noisy and things were broken.”

And Windsor Quay resident Tom Hargroves, 24, was angry with the move. “What harm was it doing there?” he said. “It was a fine building. It’s a waste of money to just pull it down again.”

But some residents were supportive of the move. Fifty-year-old Roger Quest, of Harrison Way, said: “I always knew it was temporary – I tried to buy the building myself ten years ago to turn it into offices but I was told it was not possible.

“There would have been a lot of potential headaches, anyway. There are too many cars along here already so the parking would have been a nightmare.”

Cardiff Council officers stood behind their decision to order the demolition. A spokesperson said: “The sales office was due to be removed to ensure amenities of the area were protected.

“The authority is not required to advertise the demolition. The responsibility rests with the landowner.”