The former Hampstead police station is to become the latest London “cop shop” to be converted into homes.
The owners of the Grade II listed landmark on the corner of Rosslyn Hill and Downshire Hill in NW3 close to the southern end of the heath have won planning permission for their conversion plans from Camden council.
Developers Redington Capital were given the all clear to turn the red brick building into five new homes, office space and a private medical facility according to designs from architects dMFK.
The 111 year old Arts & Crafts building, was home to Britain’s first juvenile court, has stood largely empty since being sold by then Mayor Boris Johnson’s Office for Policing & Crime (MOPAC) for £14.1 million in 2013.
It was part of a highly controversial sell-off of police assets that has seen three quarters of London’s police stations sold off to raise funds.
Earlier this month Westminster council signed off on plans to turn the former Belgravia police station on Buckingham Palace Road into a 206 room luxury hotel and spa under the Other House brand. It was sold for £75 million in 2022.
The developer’s mixed-use approval follows two unsuccessful bids at planning by the Department for Education, to convert the site into a primary school. The DfE sold it to Redington for a £4 million loss in 2021
Planning documents say the scheme aims “to restore the local landmark to its former glory both externally and internally; celebrating its heritage whilst evolving the structure into a functional, efficient and accessible building that is useful for the local community, today and in the future” – and should hit BREEAM Excellent and EPC “B” benchmarks.
The magistrates’ courtroom will be repurposed as a studio for a local architecture practice, including restoration of the original wood panelling, magistrates’ bench, dock and central daïs.
The police lodgings will be converted into private healthcare space, whilst part of the old station will become small-scale offices for local businesses, with prison cells “gently repurposed” as characterful meeting rooms and booths.
Five family-sized apartments will occupy the upper storeys, which feature “generous” floor-to-ceiling heights and plenty of natural daylight.
Ben Knight, Director at dMFK Architects:“Our practice began its life in North London, and we’ve always known and loved this iconic Hampstead landmark. It’s an honour to be entrusted with it. We’ve tried to carefully balance the myriad contemporary requirements of a mixed-use building with the heritage, aiming to maintain its historic character and significance.”
The police station and courtroom were designed in 1912 by John Dixon Butler, architect and surveyor to the Metropolitan Police.
