There are fears a Napoleonic-era building within the grounds of Sheerness steel mill could be lost when the future of the site is settled.

The old Dockyard Hospital, which dates back to about 1800, is not listed and as such has no protection from potentially being demolished.

The block of buildings were used as offices until the mill closed in January 2012.

This week, we reported on the end of a legal dispute over the vacant site, which has thrown open the possibility of landowner Peel Land and Property bringing it back into use in some way.

Islander Will Palin is behind a project with The Spitalfields Trust to restore the Sheerness Dockyard Church and other nearby historic assets.

He said: “The buildings are very vulnerable because they are not listed. It’s a really handsome little block of buildings and obviously would contribute a huge amount to whatever they decide to do with it.

“It is part of the Georgian dockyard and it would be a real tragedy if something were to happen to these buildings at the same time as so much is being done to save the other buildings.

“They [Peel] need to commit to the retention of these buildings, at least until they come up with a masterplan.”

He urged people to lobby English Heritage to have the buildings listed to put pressure on Peel not to knock them down.

Mr Palin said it is not known why the buildings were never listed nor whether they would fall under a conservation zone.

Andrew Parr, who used to work at the mill, said the buildings are in good condition and warned they could be “bulldozed tomorrow”.

He has written to Swale council’s conservation officer Peter Bell with his concerns.

When we put the fears to Peel Land and Property and asked about its plans for the building, a spokesman said the firm will not be commenting further.