Plans are in motion to transform a former police station in Ipswich into a 15-bedroom HMO, preserving its historical features.
Ipswich: The Ipswich Borough Council has received a proposal from Lockwood Perry to turn the old police station on Museum Street into a 15-bed HMO.
Originally, the building was set to be converted into one house and five apartments back in 2022. But now, the plan is to create 15 bedrooms spread over three floors instead.
The developers want to keep some of the building’s historical charm, like the staircase and internal mouldings. They aim to bring it back to how it looked before it became a police station.
The front part of the building will still be a single-family home, keeping the important internal spaces like the staircase and hall intact.
This house will have five bedrooms, a private garden, a basement, and a loft, all across four levels.
For the HMO, each of the three floors will have five bedrooms, along with a kitchen and dining area on each level. Plus, there’s a cool mezzanine garden planned for the first floor.
If the plans get the green light, the back of the building will host the 15-bed HMO.
They’re also looking to keep some parking spaces, with seven spots available, including two for electric vehicles, five for cargo bikes, and four for two-wheelers.
And for bike lovers, there will be room for 20 bicycles right at the entrance of the ground floor.
To keep everything safe, the applicants plan to install CCTV in the parking area and access points.
Next up, Ipswich Borough Council will review these plans soon.
