Town’s former police station to become offices
A town’s former police station is set to be converted into offices.
Eight disused police stations were put up for sale in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent in 2019, including buildings in Stone and Eccleshall.
The former Stone station in Radford Street has been earmarked for apartments.
Eccleshall’s old station is to become offices, as well as providing storage and workshop facilities, after change of use plans were approved by Stafford Borough Council.
The single storey building in Stone Road was constructed in the late 1990s, a planning officers’ report said.
It added: "Planning permission is sought to alter and extend the former police station to create offices and new storage/workshop area that is to be used in connection with a property management business for the storage of furniture.
"The proposed change of use and extensions are considered to be an acceptable form of sustainable development in the settlement boundary for Eccleshall.
"It will not have an adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area including heritage assets; does not harm residential amenity and provides sufficient parking, access and circulation areas to serve the site."
Eccleshall Parish Council, which previously considered teaming up with a local business to buy the former police station site, raised no objections to the application.
The council had hoped to keep the station’s car park open for town businesses and visitors to help tackle a long-running parking problem.
And a consultation carried out in 2019 suggested the police station building could be transformed into a business hub.
A design and access statement submitted as part of the application said: "The creation of additional office units will benefit the local economy by introducing additional commercial space for up to five businesses, although the layout offers the opportunity for offices to be combined.
"The extension to the rear is envisaged to provide a workshop/storage facility with an option to be divided into two separate units offering a diversification of current accommodation offer for businesses."
