New flats plan submitted for Darlaston Police Station
A former Black Country police station will be transformed into apartments under new plans.
Under a scheme submitted to Walsall Council, Darlaston Police Station, which closed down in 2018, will be turned into 10 apartments.
The Grade II-listed building on Crescent Road dates back more than 100 years and was initially lined up for 12 apartments in 2020, although no development ever took place.
The Bloomfield Group Ltd has now submitted new plans for the site.
The development will feature eight one-bedroom flats and a pair of two-bedroom flats. It will see a new courtyard created at the back of the building, external staircases fitted and a new car park for residents.
A statement from BHB Architects, said: "The redevelopment plans as proposed, will bring a currently redundant and vacant building back into use in the heart of Darlaston and will provide much needed apartments in the area.
"The proposed scheme addresses the applicant’s requirements that complements the existing layout whilst being in keeping with the style of the overall building.
"The new extensions and alterations to the existing building have been designed following significant appraisal of the development [and provides a high quality response to the site constraints.
"The extensions have been designed with considerable focus to ensure that this massing is kept relatively low to the existing building, to ensure it does not become too prominent.
"As such, we believe the proposed extensions and alterations will sit acceptable alongside the existing former Darlaston Police Station building."
Heritage consultant, Dr David Hickie, said: "The proposals will not adversely affect this listed heritage asset, the settings of the nearby listed buildings or the conservation area.
"The proposals would preserve the overall special architectural and current historic interest of this listed heritage asset."
West Midlands Police sold off the building in 2018 under cost cutting measures. At the time the force said the sale would generate around £180,000 and save £20,935 a year in running costs.
