HALSTEAD’S former town centre police station could be turned into flats.

The front counter of the station in Trinity Street was closed to the public in March last year and the building was formally vacated and closed in August.

The police station was then placed on the market in October, alongside a number of others as Essex Police looked to reduce their estate from 80 buildings to approximately 30.

And after a buyer was found, the sale has been completed and a change of use planning application has been submitted with the objective of converting the site into five flats.

The police station has remained largely untouched since it was built in 1939, and although it is not a listed building, it has been within the Halstead Town Centre Conservation Area since it was established in 1969.

And the new owner is hoping to leave the exterior of the site largely untouched.

The application said: “The priority of the design is to ensure the character of the building area is not spoilt.

“The proposal does not alter the external building envelope ensuring important features are conserved, preserving the conservation area setting.”

The planning application seeks approval for five residential two bedroom apartments.

The internal space has been designed to retain the historic features of the existing building.

The out building to the rear of the site will remain and be converted into a small 2 bedroom duplex.

Proposed patio doors and window on the east elevation will enable the dwelling to have views The decision to close the police station was made after research carried out over two separate months showed 259 people visited Halstead’s front counter and of those only four people visited to report a crime.

This compares with Braintree which received 2,460 visits during the same period.