The owners of the house where Banksy painted his ‘spies artwork’ are said to be challenging the building’s listed status to try to pave the way to sell the piece.

Cheltenham Borough Council slapped a temporary stop notice on the property on Wednesday to prevent any work being done to the house without permission.

But the owners are enlisting the help of heritage surveyors to question whether the house deserves its Grade II status, according to Robin Barton, who is brokering a deal to sell the artwork.

Mr Barton, the owner of London’s Bankrobber Gallery, said: “We are having a heritage surveyor meet with the council next week to discuss this. Our understanding is that the Grade II listing is inaccurate on many levels.”

He said the owners have no intention of contravening the council’s stop notice and that the contractors “won’t go near” the Banksy while the notice is in place.

However, Mr Barton has downplayed the importance of the notice, telling the Echo it is “not relevant” at this stage because of how long it takes to remove an artwork from the side of a house.

“If the owner wants to have the piece removed, we would be looking at a six-week removal time because it is a very slow process,” he said.

Mr Barton does not believe the stop notice will buy businesses time to raise money to try and keep the artwork in Cheltenham. He said:

“The owners of the house are challenging the listing and if they are successful I am guessing the community won’t have the appetite to find the funds so it will be removed, but I hope they do.”

The stop notice ceases on July 30 and Mr Barton believes it exposes the artwork to the risk of vandalism. “There is every possibility the ‘if we can’t have it neither can you’ brigade will come out,” he said.

Contravening a temporary stop notice is a criminal offence and carries the potential for an unlimited fine.

Pictured: The Banksy mural.