A historic Ulverston building that has stood derelict for more than 10 years is set to be brought back to use, with work starting on its transformation this week.

The former police station, located on the edge of the town centre on Neville Street, was purchased by local architecture, structural and civil engineering business Building Design Northern, with £3.5m plans unveiled to transform it into workspace, short-stay accommodation and a food and drink destination.

BDN – which is headquartered in Sunderland, in North East England – currently has a second office in Ulverston Business Centre, and plans to relocate its North West team into the building, which was built in 1881 and stands in a prominent position on the edge of the town.

The former Police Station building will house commercial office space, with jail cells reimagined as boutique accommodation, while the superintendent’s quarters – the west wing – which was demolished prior to BDN’s acquisition of the site, will house further serviced accommodation, each apartment with its own en-suite and kitchenette space.

The old Courthouse will incorporate a new restaurant pavilion, with a surrounding courtyard of former garages converted into independent commercial space that is expected to attract a range of retail businesses. Further short-stay apartments will be created in the upper floors of the building.

As well as providing architectural, structural and civil engineering services to clients across the UK, BDN, which was founded in 1983, has delivered a number of its own developments in recent years, including one of the North East’s most popular leisure destinations – Sheepfolds Stables – which opened in 2024. It has also developed a range of high-end short stay apartments in Sunderland, that have proven to be popular year-round.

This latest project is the realisation of a personal mission for director Joe Warner, who was born and raised in Barrow, just a short drive from Ulverston.

He said: “Our MD at BDN is from Sunderland, and has delivered a number of really transformative projects in his home city. I know how much pride that has brought him. So, for me to be able to do the same in Ulverston, and for the business to acquire a building that has stood in a state of disrepair for so long, and to now be breathing new life into it, is absolutely brilliant.

“This was once such a stunning building, and – given its position on the edge of the town providing a distinctive welcome point for people coming into the area – it’s been sad to see it in such a sorry state, becoming a magnet for anti-social behaviour. I’m looking forward to bringing it back into contemporary use.”

BDN will deliver the transformation of the police station in two phases, with the first focusing on the main building, which will be reimagined as an office for BDN, large enough to support the expansion of the business, and nine luxury apartments which will be available for short stays. The first phase of work is expected to take between 12 and 18 months to deliver.

Phase two will comprise the transformation of the old Courthouse and surrounding courtyard of former garages. Planning consent – which was granted two years ago – is also in place for three houses to stand within the grounds of the station. Work is being undertaken by Danny Barlow Construction – and it is expected that the full scheme will be complete by 2028.