Work Begins on £3.5m Redevelopment of Former Ulverston Police Station and Courthouse
Work has started on a major £3.5m project to transform Ulverston’s former police station and courthouse into offices, retail units, short-stay accommodation and new homes.
The site, which has been empty since police left in 2015, is set to be brought back into use after plans were approved by Westmorland and Furness Council in 2023.
Developer Building Design Northern, known as BDN, expects the full redevelopment to be completed by 2028. The company says the project will restore a prominent building that has fallen into disrepair and become a problem site on one of the main routes into the town.
First Phase Will Create Offices and Short-Stay Apartments
The first stage of the scheme will focus on the former police station.
This part of the site will be converted into new offices for BDN, which is currently based elsewhere in Ulverston. The work will also create nine short-stay apartments from the old jail cells.
The use of the former cells is one of the more unusual parts of the project. Instead of leaving them empty, the developer plans to turn them into accommodation for visitors staying in the town.
This could help support Ulverston’s tourism and hospitality businesses, especially during busy weekends, festivals and events.
Courthouse to Become Restaurant and Retail Space
The second phase will focus on the former courthouse and the surrounding courtyard.
Plans include turning this area into a restaurant pavilion, with space for a range of retail businesses. More short-stay apartments are also planned for the upper floors.
The old garages around the courtyard will be included in this part of the redevelopment. This will help create a more active and welcoming space, rather than leaving the site as a closed-off former public building.
Planning permission is also in place for three houses within the grounds.
Once complete, the project will bring together several uses on one site, including workspaces, places to eat, shops, visitor accommodation and homes.
Bringing a Prominent Building Back Into Use
BDN director Joe Warner said the company is “breathing new life” into a building that has stood in a poor state for a long time.
He described the former police station and courthouse as a building that was once “stunning”. He also said it had been sad to see it decline, especially because of its position on the edge of town.
The site is seen as an important gateway into Ulverston. For people arriving in the area, the building is one of the first major landmarks they pass.
Over recent years, the unused site has become a concern because of its condition and links to anti-social behaviour. The redevelopment aims to reverse that decline and give the building a new purpose.
Civic Society Backed the Plans
The project has also received support from Ulverston Civic Society.
In 2023, the group described the site as being on the main approach into the town. It said the proposed design and repair work would reverse much of the damage that had been allowed to happen.
The society also said the plans would transform the depressing feel currently given by the site.
Its support is important because the building has local heritage and townscape value. Projects like this need to balance new uses with careful repairs, especially when a site is well known in the community.
Further Details Still Being Considered
Although the main plans have already been approved, the council is still considering further details linked to the scheme.
These include issues around noise and landscaping. Such details are often handled after the main planning permission has been granted.
They help decide how the development will operate in practice, including how it will affect nearby residents and the wider area.
A Boost for Ulverston Town Centre
The redevelopment could provide a welcome boost for Ulverston.
It will bring an empty site back into use, improve the appearance of a key approach into the town and create new spaces for businesses. It could also attract more visitors through short-stay accommodation and a new restaurant offer.
The project is expected to take several years to complete, with work running in phases up to 2028.
For Ulverston, the start of work marks an important step forward for a building that has been empty for more than a decade. Once finished, the former police station and courthouse could become a busy mixed-use site once again.
