Langholm police station eyed up for conversion

Image source, Google

Image caption, The former police station in Langholm could be converted into affordable rented housing

A former police station in southern Scotland has been earmarked to be turned into affordable rented housing.

The project in Langholm would see any profits put back into the local community.

Dumfries and Galloway Council is being asked to agree the transfer of the property - which it owns - to the Eskdale Foundation.

The building has an estimated market value of 拢100,000 but the deal would be for the nominal sum of 拢1.

The property on Buccleuch Square served as Langholm's police station for more than a century before closing in 2010.

Benefit fund

In the same year, the local authority declared it surplus to requirements.

It was later taken off the market to allow the Eskdale Foundation to draw up a business case to convert the building into homes for rent.

The organisation, which has charitable status, is now looking to secure ownership to take the project forward.

The proposals would see any profits reinvested in other local projects through the foundation's community benefit fund.

Three options have been tabled for local councillors to consider with the preferred one being to agree the transfer of ownership on condition that capital funding needed to complete the conversion work is in place by November.