The Category B-listed building was deemed to be unsafe under Section 29 of the Dangerous Buildings (Scotland) Act following an extensive fire in September 2023.

Safety work at the site was started by South Ayrshire Council in April after structural inspections concluded that more demolition work was required than previously thought.

However, the local authority said on Friday that work was “temporarily suspended” after the building’s owner launched a legal challenge.

Malaysian property tycoon Eng Haut Ung, also known as Sunny Ung, owns the building located next to Ayr train station. His case was heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Friday, and it was confirmed that safety work will continue on the hotel.

Work is estimated to take around nine weeks, with a completion date set for June 17.

A South Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “The Court of Session has agreed that the safety works can continue on site. We will continue to provide works progress updates.”