There doesn't seem to be a great sense that this is about to be converted into some exciting new project

Shadow culture secretary Tim Yeo

Despite falling into disrepair, regional news programme BBC London reveals the Dome, in Greenwich, is still costing taxpayers �1.8m a month.

The programme said on Wednesday one of its reporters took pictures while working undercover in the Dome.

It is claimed there is at least one hole in the roof of the building.

The programme said it had also learned the two giant figures of "The Body Zone" had been reduced to a pile of rubble and used as an in-fill on the Dome site.

Mr Yeo said: "It's a very sad place. There's a forlorn atmosphere.

"The whole sense of the place is extremely gloomy and it looked pretty shabby to me.

"The place is dirty and there's dust everywhere.

It is claimed there is at least one hole in the roof

"There doesn't seem to be a great sense that this is about to be converted into some exciting new project. It's really like a demolition site."

Government regeneration agency English Partnerships, which owns the Dome site, disputes the running cost figures, claiming maintenance costs are only �240,000 a month.

A spokeswoman for the agency said: "Maintenance is required from time to time on the roof's flexible joints, but there are no holes in the roof.

"Nobody wanted to buy the Body. I'm not sure what happened to the remains."

English Partnerships took responsibility for the Dome from the New Millennium Experience Company on 1 July this year.

The agency has had about 150 expressions of interest from organisations wishing to take over the site.