East Ayrshire Council was forced to take direct action to deal with 18 dangerous buildings across the authority last year. A new report reveals the council’s Building Standards Service handled 136 property complaints between April 2025 and March 2026 and served 23 Dangerous Building Notices on owners.
Council officers stepped in directly on 18 occasions, with the authority now pursuing owners to recover the costs of work carried out. The figures are contained in a report on derelict, vacant and dangerous buildings going before East Ayrshire Council’s Governance and Scrutiny Committee next week.
Victoria Building fire in Kilmarnock
Among the most significant incidents was the major fire at the listed Victoria Buildings in King Street, Kilmarnock, last July. The blaze, which broke out on July 14, burned for more than 40 hours and caused severe damage and a partial collapse. Structural inspections following the fire found extensive damage, instability and a risk of further collapse.
The report states: “Due to the severity of the damage and the imminent risk presented by the remaining building fabric, emergency demolition works were undertaken to remove the danger and secure the site.” Exclusion zones and road closures were put in place, while businesses affected by the incident received council support, including grants and assistance in finding alternative premises.
Cost recovery and future plans
The council says neighbouring businesses had fully reopened within three weeks. Officials have since been working with the building owners, loss assessors and insurer to establish how the costs should be divided. Invoices have now been issued and the council says it expects “to be able to recover all debt incurred” under the dangerous building notices.
The future of the prominent town centre site remains unresolved. Demolition material remains at the site behind hoardings and the report says discussions will be required with the owners to establish a way forward. It adds: “This will form part of the Kilmarnock Town Centre Masterplan which will come before council.”
Other incidents and ongoing issues
Elsewhere, repeated vandalism has prompted council intervention at the former Nightingale House nursing home on Main Street in Auchinleck. The authority says it has received numerous complaints from residents and Police Scotland about the condition of the building and people being able to gain access. Emergency works have been carried out to secure the property, with the costs also subject to debt recovery and legal proceedings. However, the report says: “No development proposals have been forthcoming regarding the future use of the building or site.”
Progress is being made at another longstanding problem building in Darvel. The council agreed in December 2024 to acquire the former Loudoun Valley Manufacturing Company factory site at Jamieson Road and adjoining land at Green Street. The factory had suffered significant fire damage and vandalism over several years, requiring repeated intervention by public services. Demolition is now nearing completion, potentially paving the way for the site to be transferred to a community group for redevelopment.
Building Standards also responded to nine out-of-hours dangerous-building incidents during the reporting period. They included a fire-damaged property in Newmilns, a fire at the now demolished Auchinleck Academy, a collapsed retaining wall in Kilmarnock, dangerous scaffolding during high winds and a crash in Stewarton in which a vehicle caused structural damage and ruptured a gas pipe.
The report stresses that responsibility for maintaining buildings rests with their owners and describes its statutory powers as a “safety net” to protect the public when owners fail to act. It also warns that it has no dedicated budget to repair privately owned derelict buildings unless circumstances require intervention on public safety or substantial amenity grounds.
