D-Day for the crumbling Station Hotel moved a step closer this week.
Council chiefs confirmed their long-awaited report into the battered pile is finally due this month.
The survey, initially promised last November, will spell out the list of defects found within the building.
It will form the backdrop for a cost analysis of repairs, which councillors will be given in September.
Senior sources said the report is expected to paint a dark picture of the building’s longevity.
It follows a battle to stabilise the structure and ensure public safety for those using Ayr train station below.
Council bosses have been involved in a protracted battle with the building’s owner Eng Huat Ung since March last year.
That followed the implementation of a dangerous building notice, which at one stage saw a halt to rail services in and out of the town.
Council chiefs said work to carry out a structural survey had taken place under “challenging circumstances due to the condition of the building”.
But they have faced criticism over the long delays to the report, which was promised well over six months ago.
First sight will be given to councillors on August 19 before a fuller rundown of repair costs comes next month.
A council spokesman said: “The receipt of the structural report and then the estimated costs of fixing the building will conclude a considerable piece of work undertaken by the council and provide the necessary supporting information for further discussions on the future of the building.”
