BELLEISLE House Hotel needs re-open to prevent vandals entering and damaging the property and the park.

South Ayrshire Councillors say they have tried to contact the owners at least 30 times but have had no response to their pleas to take action.

The issue was addressed at a public meeting recently.

Cllr Siobhian Brown, said: "We have tried to get the owners to a meeting 30 times but they have refused."

Cllr Martin Dowey said: "We need to get him moving. It is a beautiful but there is excuse after excuse. There is a buy back clause but that would mean we would need to take legal action."

Chairwoman Marilyn Dalgleish said: "This is our money you could be spending on legal action."

Cllr Lee Lyons said: "We need to start moving forward."

Marylin Dalgleish Said: "If he started building again there would be security. Once the hotel was up and running there would be people coming and going. There would be flood lighting.

"It really seems to be a case of watch this space."

Cllr Siobhian Brown said: "Some £5 million has been spent on Belleisle, we just need to move forward with the house."

Work to transform the derelict stables at Belleisle Estate into a vibrant visitor hub is now underway. The initial phase will see reusable stone sifted from the site for later use as part of the new centre.

The £1.3million project will create a brand new visitor hub that will include flexible community space, a café, facilities for Park Rangers, and public toilets.

The new building will use reclaimed stone and glass to provide a visual transition between Belleisle House, Belleisle Golf Course, and the outstanding environment of the wider estate.

The building will be powered by a biomass boiler, with rainwater harvested to help reduce energy consumption and running costs.

The work is part of a wider programme at Belleisle Estate, which has benefited from investment of around £5 million in the last three years, which has seen visitor numbers double to 200,000 as a result.

Councillor Peter Henderson, South Ayrshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance said the latest development would provide a new focal point for visitors, “Belleisle has been transformed in recent years with investment helping to double the number of visitors and improve the Estate’s appeal."

The main construction stage of the new building is expected to start March 2018.