An 18th century building - described as a "dead asset" to Perth and Kinross Council - looks set to go under the hammer.
The B-listed three-storey block of flats is currently sitting vacant with the council unable to find tenants for it.
Last week councillors on PKC's housing and communities committee gave their approval to Cumberland Barracks being sold at auction.
Cumberland Barracks - formerly known as Yeomanry Barracks - were built in Coupar Angus between 1745 and 1766. The L-shaped building is made of red rubble with white sandstone dressings. The five one-bedroomed flats and one bedsit contained within the building are currently empty.
A council report described the repairs needed as "challenging and costly". It revealed £127,000 had recently been spent replacing the coping stones and re-coating the building's exterior.
When the housing committee met on Monday, January 24 officers told councillors prospective tenants for a flat within the building had all refused when offered.
There are currently 55 people on PKC's waiting list looking for a one-bedroomed property in Coupar Angus. When pushed by SNP councillor Grant Laing if they had all been offered a flat in the building a council officer confirmed all 55 had been offered but refused.
The main reason for refusal were the properties within it being "too dark and small".
The report said the dark interior caused by the small windows "cannot be improved due to the listed status" with the building's internal stairwell "also dark with hidden corners and areas, and despite being well lit, these create an unsafe appearance".
Cllr Laing questioned how "viable a proposition" it could be for a private company/individual. He suggested they would have to pay "at least £192,000" and wondered how anyone could make it more attractive.
Depute director of communities Clare Mailer said PKC did not have the answers but as a social landlord they were unable to bring it up to standards that were affordable.
The committee's convener Cllr Bob Brawn - who visited the property - described it as a "dead asset".
Strathmore Conservative councillor Colin Stewart argued it was a "notable building in the centre of Coupar Angus".
He added: "No one would want to see it fall into a state of disrepair any time soon".
Cllr Laing expressed concern over the length of the time it could take for the building to be sold and risk falling into further disrepair.
The Strathtay councillor said: "Coupar Angus has quite a few buildings that are in desperate need of disrepair. By the time this goes through all the committees and is put out to auction it will be more than a year into the two-year cycle when the exterior of the building has to be attended to.
"I don't think we can afford another building going into disrepair in Coupar Angus in any shape or form."
Blairgowrie and Glens SNP councillor Tom McEwan put forward an amendment for money from the sale to be used to invest in affordable housing.
Lib Dem councillor Peter Barrett suggested it was "a completely unnecessary amendment" when it was already in the report.
Following a heated exchange between the two councillors, PKC's executive director of communities Barbara Renton said the amendment was to add this recommendation "for clarity".
She added: "While that recommendation is contained within the report it isn't contained within the recommendations."
Cllr Brawn and Cllr Chris Ahern were happy to incorporate the amendment into their motion to put the building up for auction.
The recommendations will now go before PKC's property sub-committee for consideration on February 28.
