The privately-owned building is in a poor condition with stakeholders working to find a long-term solution.

The study, which has been commissioned by the Strategic Governance Group, will identify potential future options for the building, taking into consideration viability, costs and heritage.

A public consultation will form part of the study, asking people for their views on what should happen to the building.

The responses from the consultation will form part of the feasibility study, which is set to be completed in the autumn of 2020.

The feasibility study, follows a structural condition report published in October 2019, which lists all the defects found during a survey.

Councillor Peter Henderson, leader of South Ayrshire Council, said: “Our priority is to protect the public and the rail network, but we are also working to revitalise Ayr Town Centre.

“This building sits at one of the town’s most important gateways, so we need to know what our options are, to help transform the area and make it more welcoming.

“It’s still a privately owned building, so there are process we need to go through, but this study will give viable alternatives and capture public feeling. I would encourage people to get involved in the consultation and submit their ideas.”

Bill Reeve, director of rail at Transport Scotland, said: “We welcome this next phase, as part of a study which has been commissioned by the Strategic Governance Group. Identifying options for the building is a key step and I would encourage the public to get involved in this consultation. They can now help shape any future development as responses will form part of the feasibility study, which is due for completion this autumn.

“The focus now is rightly on ensuring that any long-term plan contributes to the economic prosperity of the town centre and communities south of Ayr. We have hosted a workshop, attended by relevant stakeholders, to highlight the redevelopment and enhancement opportunities that could be realised from the situation with the Ayr Station Hotel.

“There is clearly an appetite to build excellent station facilities at Ayr station, one of ScotRail’s busiest, and we stand ready to provide further guidance as this plan progresses, however any plan must be realistic, credible and affordable in the current climate.”

James Ledgerwood, ScotRail head of economic & community development, said: “The condition of the former station hotel presents a challenge that cannot be under-estimated. It has had a severely detrimental impact on the operation of our services, our staff, and our customers.

“We welcome the current feasibility study, and as a member of the Strategic Governance Group, we are committed to working with our partners and local stakeholders to identify a sustainable long-term solution for the building, the station, and the wider town of Ayr.”

The council will continue to monitor the building to ensure public safety.