THE owners of the site of a dilapidated listed building in Ardrossan that has become a magnet for vandals and fly-tippers since a fire in 2017 have been ordered to tidy up and secure the property for the second time in recent years.

An amenity notice has been re-issued by North Ayrshire Council (NAC) for Seafield House on Eglinton Road, which includes the category B listed former school and stables buildings.

The site was last used as a residential school but has been largely vacant for around seven years, and although a blaze in the main building in 2017 was largely contained in the eastern wing, the roof of that section of the building has collapsed.

The condition of the site has been causing concern to local residents for several years, with NAC receiving complaints about it since 2016. Seafield House and stables remain on Historic Environment Scotland’s buildings at risk register, with their condition being described as “poor”.

According to a recent council report, both buildings have been subject to vandalism and unauthorised entry, while the windows in both properties have been smashed.

A fence has also been broken and the site has been dumped on including skips and containers, and the condition of the land is considered to have an adverse impact on amenity in the surrounding area.

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At a meeting of the council’s planning committee on June 29, James Miller, NAC’s chief planning manager, said: “Our recommendation is that the owner removes all the litter and refuse from the site, bricks up all the windows and door openings in both Seafield House and Seafield Stables, and reinstates the timber fence which has been damaged and broken down.

“One of my colleagues from another service spoke to the owner and he is in full agreement that those matters will be addressed. We still see the need for the amenity notice to push that along.”

Mr Miller confirmed that only the stables building and former school are affected, with the games hall at the site still being used by local groups.

He added: “They put the fence up to make the site more attractive but even that has been broken down.

“Colleagues from another service are working with the owner to try to bring forward a plan to actually see the site brought back into beneficial use and every encouragement is being made to do that.

“Sadly, we’re dealing with a listed building which is open to elements.”

The owners of the site - believed to be D McLaughlin and Sons - will be given six weeks in which to carry out the work.