A NEW lease of life could be in store for Alexandria’s former police station on Hill Street, with a bid to convert the 1930s building into six homes.

After its controversial closure the old police station has stood empty for five years in a state of disrepair.

But now, Alexandria developer Bingham Homes & Co, who have owned the site since March 2018, have submitted an application to West Dunbartonshire Council to turn the building into three- and four-bed homes of one-and-a-half and two storeys.

According to the developer, extensive works will be required to form the new houses, while retaining the entire police station façade.

A spokesperson for Bingham Homes said: “The development would bring back into use a vacant property whilst providing much needed new housing in the Alexandria area.

“It was decided early on that the building would be converted into houses rather than a full demolition to make way for new units.”

With designs put forward by Alexandria’s Clark Design Architecture, it has also been proposed that roof sections will be demolished to make way for a courtyard to the rear, providing off-street car parking with 13 spaces.

A previous application back in May 2017 from Caledonia Housing Association, which proposed to demolish the building and build 18 flats with associated parking, proved unsuccessful.

Leven councillor Jim Bollan told the Reporter he would have preferred that the police station had not closed at all.

However, he explained that he views the current application to convert the building, rather than demolish it and build flats on the site as Caledonia’s application had proposed, to be “a lot more acceptable”.

Councillor Ian Dickson, also representing the Leven Ward, said: “Having sat empty and derelict for five years already I am happy to see this corner of Alexandria being used again.

“Several local residents had expressed concerns to me about the previously proposed flats, and I’m delighted that the planned six new homes are more in keeping with the other homes on Hill Street and Middleton Street, even going so far as keeping the old courtyard with off-street parking for residents.”

The Bingham Homes spokesperson added: “It is hoped that the application will be received well by the public and local residents will be please to see the original vacant building brought back into use.”

The application is currently pending consideration.

To view it, enter DC18/140 in the planning section on West Dunbartonshire Council’s website.