A REQUEST has been made to demolish Alexandria police station in Hill Street and build flats on the site.

The building was bought over in 2016 after lying dormant following a police shake-up.

Now it's hoped that the area can be revitalised by building 18 flats with associated court parking.

The applicant is Peter Broad, on behalf of Caledonia Housing Association, and the application was validated on Monday, May 8.

It's understood that the flats would be available for social rent.

The request is expected to be reviewed in due course.

However, Leven ward councillor Jim Bollan has some misgivings about a Dundee-based housing association taking root in West Dunbartonshire.

He said: "I would have much preferred a local community based housing association was developing this site as Caledonia, who are based in Dundee, are sucking enough money out of the local economy already after their takeover of Cordale Housing Association, in Renton and Bellsmyre Housing Association, in Dumbarton.

"There is no real local democratic decision making or accountability left in these communities, all the major decisions are made in Dundee and reflect the needs of Caledonia as a business who own around 6,000 homes."

Last year the building went on the market for offers over £90,000.

The former station – which covers 0.12 hectares – is listed as a mix of a single and two storey building.

The two storey area was built originally as a residential building and then converted to office use.

The property was built in the 1930s and has been lying empty since May last year after officers moved from the premises to a one-stop shop on Mitchell Way in

Alexandria.

The station was closed to the public in 2013 following a shake-up of police services in West Dunbartonshire.

However, the closure of the station caused controversy in recent years.

Back in April 2011 The Reporter told how it was earmarked for closure as part of proposed cost-cutting measures.

At the time Strathclyde Police reviewed the opening hours of Alexandria police office in a bid to reduce running costs and get more cops back on the street.

And a subsequent review of the services at the Vale police office was conducted- and that led to its eventual closure.