People living near a property once owned by a notorious lottery fraudster and rapist have welcomed plans to raze it to the ground, saying: ‘Good riddance.’The four-bedroom property on a one-acre site belonged to Edward Putman, who was jailed for raping a teenager and locked up again for using a fake Lotto ticket to scoop £2.5 million.The detached house was seized and auctioned off under the Proceeds of Crime Act and an application has now been submitted to build a 2,000 square metre workshop there for a furniture business.Locals told the Mail they would be happy to see the end of the constant reminder of Putman’s connection to the area, particularly as it is now derelict. Two years ago, it was also damaged in a fire.HR worker Michele Garrigan, 62, who has lived in the area since 1998, said: ‘I think it’s a case of good riddance. It’s also a massive eyesore now and has been for some time. The four-bedroom property on a one-acre site belonged to Edward Putman (pictured) who was jailed for raping a teenager and locked up again for using a fake Lotto ticket to scoop £2.5 million  The detached house was seized and auctioned off under the Proceeds of Crime Act An application has now been submitted to build a 2,000 square metre workshop there for a furniture business. Pictured: In 2012 Locals told the Mail they would be happy to see the end of the constant reminder of Putman’s connection to the area, particularly as it is now derelict. Pictured: Inside the building’Every time I go past it I think about it’s history as well as it being in a really dilapidated condition.’There’s overgrown greenery and you can see the burnt-out house, which is still standing.’Lynn Hannon, 71, who lives a few yards down the road, added: ‘It’s a bit notorious. It’s derelict so it’ll be nice to see something in its place and the proposal sounds okay.’Putman, 59, bought the house in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, for £466,000 in cash after his lottery jackpot and lived there with partner Lita Stephens, now 68.In 2014, he tried to build a 30-bedroom motel there but the planning application was refused by Three Rivers District Council.Putman was only jailed in 2019 after delays in bringing him to justice – including then operator Camelot losing the disputed ticket.By 2021, neighbours were complaining about the crumbling residence, mouldy, mildew-covered cars, old caravans blanched by the sun, and untamed grounds.It was fenced off with wire and a bollard, with a sign that warned ‘Private, Keep Out’. Putman was only jailed in 2019 after delays in bringing him to justice – including then operator Camelot losing the disputed ticket Pictured: Edward Putman’s home in Kings Langsley, Hertfordshire in 2019 At the rear of the house is a patio and a further outbuilding used for storage. The west of the site is open land The neglected and fire-damaged house was left in ruins after the property was abandoned for over a decadeThe property was then gutted by a fire in a suspected arson attack two years ago.After the site was seized by the authorities, it was put up for auction in October last year and bought for £1.2 million by furniture company AR18, who are currently based in Uxbridge, west London.They have now submitted plans for a ‘state of the art’ warehouse, workshops, assembly area and offices over two floors.The timber-structured building would be set into the sloping landscape to reduce its visibility and any noise, while the roof area to the north and west would be covered with living vegetation. The south side would have solar panels.Around 40 staff would be based there and the company said it is working on a potential deal for staff to use the car park at the train station on the opposite side of the road.AR18 director Antony Cockerell said: ‘The lease on our current premises in Uxbridge expires in 2026.’We’ve been looking for a new premises for three years now without success. When South Bend came up for auction, we did a planning appraisal and found that it could be suitable for redevelopment.’The site is in the greenbelt, so we’ve worked hard to make the proposal the best it can be. Putnam in 1999. He went to prison for seven years in 1993 after he raped a 17-year-old pregnant girl and in 2009 scammed £2.5 million on a fake lottery ticket Safe access to the upper floors is not possible and the home is littered in rubble The fake National Lottery ticket used by conman Edward Putman, which was missing the bottom half and had no barcode’We’re keen to hear the views of local residents and will be holding a series of engagement events in coming weeks.’Jon Tankard, the chairman of planning and highways for Abbots Langley Parish Council, said: ‘I was at a meeting last night(WED) about that site and the feeling among local residents is that they’re quite pleased to see it moving on.’There seems to be a lot of contempt for that site. It’s greenbelt and it’s not what you’d expect in a greenbelt area but overall the feeling among residents’ groups is positive.’They’d like infrastructure back in the area and it’s historically been more a working area around the station.’It’s also hiding itself in the landscape and it’s not just a big tin shed.’Putman’s murky past first came to light in 2012 when he was jailed for nine months for fraudulently claiming benefits – despite his huge National Lottery win in September 2009.It quickly emerged that he had been jailed for seven years in 1993 for raping a 17-year-old girl two years earlier, leading him to be labelled the Lotto Rapist.The builder, who already had a previous conviction of wounding with intent from the mid-1980s, broke into the teenager’s house in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, and punched her so hard she thought her head would ‘cave in’ before raping her twice. Putman wasn’t convicted until 2019 after Camelot misplaced the key piece of evidence The kitchen lies in total disrepair, with utilities ripped out of the walls and cupboards strewn across the floor His victim, who can’t be named for legal reasons, branded him a ‘brazen psychopath’ when details of his benefit scam emerged.Putman was then arrested for fraud in October 2015 over the doctored lottery ticket.Police opened the case following the suicide of Camelot employee Giles Knibbs, who left behind evidence about how they faked the slip.But Putman wasn’t convicted until 2019 after Camelot misplaced the key piece of evidence.He was subsequently hit with a £939,000 confiscation order amid reports be had blown much of his win on property, exotic holidays and expensive purchases.In March, there was an outcry after it emerged Putman had been granted an early release from prison.AR18’s planning application will be considered by Three Rivers District Council following consultation.