The Kirk Session of Troon Old Parish Church is inviting the community to a public meeting on June 9 to discuss the future of its church buildings.

In its local Presbytery Mission Plan, the Church of Scotland has decided that Troon Old sanctuary (the main church) is surplus to requirements.

The building requires extensive repairs, and will not be used as the regular place of worship when Troon Old unites with Portland and St Meddan’s Parish Churches to form Troon Church of Scotland on July 1.

Troon Old church halls accommodate many church and community activities, and the united congregation will have a continuing requirement to use the halls. The question of whether the sanctuary can be separated from the church halls now is the subject of a feasibility study being commissioned by the Church of Scotland General Trustees.

The Troon Old site, at the corner of Ayr Street and Academy Street, has served the spiritual needs of the town for nearly 200 years and, as current custodians of that heritage, the Kirk Session would like to see it remain in community use.

Uniquely, there are two generations of the Parish Church on site, each with its own Grade B listing.

The original Parish Church (now the main hall) was built in the 1830s, with the steeple and town clock added in 1843. It became too small, and the prominent Victorian architect Hippolyte Blanc was commissioned to design the new Parish Church sanctuary in 1893.

Further meeting rooms, an office, kitchen and toilets were added with the construction of the link building in the 1930s.

Now the Kirk Session wants to ensure that the community of Troon is fully aware of the future options for the Troon Old sanctuary, and the site as a whole.

Over the past year, there have been limited expressions of interest in taking on responsibility for the building, and those groups will be invited to share their ideas at the meeting.

The Kirk Session would also like to hear from any other interested parties who have a sustainable vision for the building, with a view to those proposals also being presented at the meeting.

Ultimately, the decision on what happens next for the Troon Old church buildings will be taken by the new Kirk Session of the united Troon Church of Scotland, in consultation with central Church of Scotland authorities. It is intended that the outcome of the Public Meeting will provide valuable guidance for that decision.

The meeting will be held in Troon Old Parish Church on Sunday June 9 at 7.30pm and guided walkarounds at the church will be available from 6.30pm.

To submit additional proposals for consideration, please email office@troonold.org.uk.