An all-party delegation is to ask the tourism and culture minister to order Historic Scotland to allow the restoration of Castle Tioram before it collapses.
It is an attempt to break a stalemate over the castle in which its owner has accused Historic Scotland of Stalinism.
In 2002, £4.5m plans by the castle's latest owner, Ayrshire businessman Lex Brown, to renovate and reroof Castle Tioram, to include accommodation and a museum, were turned down by ministers after a public inquiry and despite Highland Council support.
A petition from residents considered by the Holyrood petitions committee in 2004 led to a meeting between Historic Scotland, Frank McAveety, then culture and tourism minister, and local MSPs, but there is still an impasse.
Now Fergus Ewing, the SNP MSP in whose Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber seat Tioram is situated, and other Highland MSPs are to meet Patricia Ferguson, the present minister.
Mr Ewing said yesterday: "There is support from all the parties who are elected by the people of the Highlands for the renovation of Castle Tioram. If this work is not done, there is a risk that the castle will collapse into a mound of rubble. This is something that the bureaucrats at Historic Scotland think is a risk that is worth taking."
He is supported by Jim Mather (SNP) Maureen Macmillan (Labour) Jamie McGrigor (Conservative), John Farquhar Munro (LibDem) and Eleanor Scott (Green).
"The elected representatives are in support of the plans; the unelected civil servants of Historic Scotland have said no to them," he said. "They can and should be overruled by the minister. The aim of the delegation is to ask that she do just that."
But Patrick Connor, head of communications and media, Historic Scotland, said last night: "It is nonsense to suggest that Historic Scotland would prefer Castle Tioram to collapse. We have consistently offered to consider a grant for the repair of Castle Tioram without prejudice to the owner's aspirations. The owner has steadfastly refused to discuss the offer or a repair programme with us.
"Historic Scotland has the powers carry out repairs, and will do so if we believe that these are urgently necessary."

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