A planning application for the conversion of Southminster's historic police station to residential use has been submitted to Maldon District Council.

Plans for the Grade II listed building includes "renovation, extension and alteration" of existing buildings and change of use to create one detached two-bedroomed home, one four-bed home and a further three-bedroomed dwelling.

The plans also include associated landscaping, car parking, cycle parking, refuse storage and amenity space.

Details of the go-ahead to sell off the former police station and library building in Queenborough Road was in a 'decision' report from the PFCC (Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner) dated 24 September, 2020.

The report details the decision to "proceed with the unconditional sale of the former Southminster Police Station and Library for the sum of £575,000".

The report also shows that the proceeds of the sale were split between the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex (PFCC) and Essex County Council (ECC), with the PFCC taking an 80.7 per cent share of the cash from the sale and ECC the rest.

The sale of the building had previously been agreed at £650,000, but the building was given listed status on 18 September, 2020 (between sale and completion) and due to the fact that development of a listed building can be more difficult and costly, a quick sale was agreed at the reduced price of £550,000 on the condition that it was completed within 24 hours.

The buildings are listed on the Historic England website as "a Grade II former police station complex comprising a police station and attached magistrates' court, superintendent's house, and married constable's house, and detached coach house, built 1901 to the designs of County Architect Frank Whitmore."

The reasons given for the listing are architectural interest, architectural quality, the interior retaining a number of interesting original features and historic interest, being "a well-preserved example of a municipal building, which housed the functions of a police station, magistrates' court and police residences".

The listing is also because of the building's "group value with nearby listed residential buildings on Queenborough Road and North End, including Spratt's Farmhouse, 2 North End, The Laurels, and Home Farmhouse (each listed at Grade II)".

The former magistrates' court was adapted for use as a public library late in the last century, with both the former police station and library closed in 2015.

There appear to be two identical applications related to the property, both received by the council on 8 March. No date has yet been set for the planning application to go before committee. Maldon District Council has been approached for clarification on this matter.