A FORMER police station is set to become offices after plans have been given the green light by councillors.

TFP Financial Planning had unveiled plans to transform the Maldon's vacant police station in West Square into offices.

The proposal aims to provide office spaces for 28 employees.

The development will not change the outside of the building, so it would remain the same as it was as a police station.

It instead proposes to refurbish the inside of the building to a "modern working office arrangement" with associated facilities on both the ground and first floors.

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The building is empty since it stopped serving as a police station in July 2017.

Maldon District Council's planning committee debated the plans at a meeting on Wednesday, March 16.

Some members of the committee raised concerns regarding the loss of the cells in the former station.

Kevin Lagan, chairman of the committee, said: "We seem to be very quick to remove a lot of the town's history and heritage and it's just a shame that these types of assets that are there and features that we may take out now won't be there for future generations.

"It's the police station and always will be Maldon's police station no matter what it becomes.

"It was a wonderful entrance to the town giving people surety that the town is a safe place to come and be welcomed in."

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However, council chairman Mark Heard said the building itself has become an eyesore and the town has outgrown the capability of the building as a police station.

He added: "I'm heartened by the fact it is going to look the same and remain the same. So I think the loss of the cells is lamentable but certainly a price worth paying."

The council's heritage specialist took the cells into account and expressed regret but overall concluded the scheme would be acceptable.

Councillors approved the plans with a condition requiring a record to be made of the historic fabric of the building to be decided by officers in consultation with Councillor Lagan at a later date.