London staircase sells for £25,000 despite having no planning permission
Tap above to watch video report by Mahatir Pasha
London's not short of weird, wonderful and pricey property but it's safe to say there was nothing on the market quite like this.
It's a stairwell. A stairwell with no planning permission. A stairwell which has just sold for £25,000. That's an impressive £500 per step.
The unique four-storey property in Twickenham, south west London was put on the market by Barnard Marcus auction house and offered "development potential for the right buyer".
Estate agents described the property, which is located at the back of a Starbucks, as having good rail and bus transport links and an "extensive range of shopping amenities".
The stairs have been blocked off from the main building and the structure has 991 years left on the leasehold with a "peppercorn" [or effectively zero] ground rent.
It was snapped up on Tuesday at auction for £25,000 after going on the market with a guide price of £20,000.
Architect Ravinder Gill said the quirky listing has great potential, he added: "This one has potential for either recycling or re-modelling to make it something fantastic.
"It may be possible subject to planning permission to make it into something really fantastic as an accommodation unit.
"I also saw the potential as I drove in looking at this tall glass structure that there is potential to raise it above the roofline of the existing brick roof structure so some kind of penthouse suite can also be made.
"But that all needs to be tested with the planners and planning in Twickenham tends to be difficult!"
People living nearby told ITV News London they were "surprised" the stairwell has gone on the market and the sale seemed " a little bit strange.
"There's a fridge over thee too! Perhaps someone could move into that too!" said resident Sean.
"When I moved here it was offices and now there are people living in the flats here but it never crossed my mind someone would live in a staircase!
"So long as no one converts it into a nightclub but a nice residence with some plant pots would be pretty," he added.
It's not known who the mystery buyer is but residents agree it's possible to make money out of pretty much any property in London.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...