Rochford police station work on 12 new flats started

Rochford police station, on South Street, closed back in 2011 and was sold for £1.25million last year to developer JKS group and plans have been given the green light for 12 flats on the site.

Construction workers moved in this week and work has now begun on converting the “iconic” building into new homes.

As part of the project the outside of Grade II listed building will be retained with the majority of the work taking place internally.

The listed completion time for the conversion work is within six months of the work commencing, with regular work to take place on the building six days a week.

Tory councillor for Roche South, Mike Steptoe, said: “The building is locally listed and is a building of interest to many residents.

“It is going to be converted into flats and it has an awful lot of history, it is what I like to call a gateway building, in the sense that it really stands out and is at the entrance to Rochford.

“It is really important, it is an iconic building and a number of repairs need to be carried out, as is currently happening.

“It is important that it is preserved, for the entirety of the area.”

The officers report for the approved plans noted that the building internally is considered “a risk to human health and safety by reason if its occupation by squatters and its deteriorating physical state which is exacerbated further by its occupation by pigeons”.

Mr Steptoe added that the building “needs to be converted into apartments if it is ever to be brought back into use.”

“It is a shame that is has been empty for so long,” he said, “it got planning permission years ago and has been through a couple of ownerships.

“That has been the case for years and now it is in the hands of developers.”

Back in 2011, the station closed its doors to the public, and in 2017 the site was reportedly sold by Essex Police for £925,000.

The site has remained vacant since but at the end of 2022 had planning permission granted for a total of 12 flats.