A planning application has been submitted to Argyll and Bute Council for a major refurbishment programme at Geilston House in Cardross.

The £2.5 million project will involve extensive repairs to the house, which has been uninhabited since 1997, and will bring the structure back into use as part of the National Trust for Scotland's (NTS) holiday accommodation portfolio.

The works are expected to take around 12 months, with the house also incorporating some space for small-scale events and exhibitions.

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Ian McLelland, the NTS Regional Director South & West, confirmed that the project will now "progress at pace" and assured stakeholders that "great care" is being taken to retain as much historic fabric as possible during the refurbishment.

He explained: "Where we are having to make more significant changes, these are to make safety improvements to the building, and we will still try to be as sympathetic as we can to the house and how it has developed over the years."

Chris Moore, Chair of the Friends of Geilston, welcomed the investment, noting that the group has been campaigning for the restoration to ensure the house can contribute to the long-term future of the celebrated Geilston Garden. The garden, which is renowned for its 1797 walled garden and welcomes around 14,000 visitors annually, will maintain its usual opening hours while the construction work is underway.