A public consultation on plans to revamp Hammersmith Police Station has been launched on Thursday (July 21).

The station on Shepherd’s Bush Road was built in the 1930s and over the years grown piecemeal to include three neighbouring buildings.

Under redevelopment plans, the original police building that provides the public entrance, which was built by renowned post-Second World War architect Donald McMorran and is Grade II listed will remain.

But the other buildings will be demolished and replaced with a four-storey fit-for-purpose facility.

A CGI of the new-look Hammersmith Police Station, seen from the front on Shepherd's Bush Road

The plans are being put forward by the Met and Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) , which holds the force to account and looks after police property estate.

It is hoped that work on the new building will begin at the end of 2016, take two years to complete and reopen in January 2019. During that time, the station will be closed to the public with its services.

As a result:

  • The 24-hour front desk will be temporarily relocated to Shepherd’s Bush Police station
  • Neighbourhood policing teams will be moved to other areas within Hammersmith and Fulham borough, such as Empress State Building in West Kensington and Shepherd’s Bush Police station
  • Custody, CID and other teams will be moved to Chiswick and Acton police stations while work is being carried out
  • Police horses living in stables on the site will be moved to Imber Court in Molesey, Surrey while larger and improved facilities are built

The news of what will effectively be a new police station comes as Fulham Police station in Heckfield Place is downsized to accommodate the new Fulham Boys School .

Hammersmith Police station as it is now

The Met say Hammersmith Police Station is an important site for the Metropolitan Police , but that its current configuration fails to provide a modern policing facility.

An information board which will be viewed the public during drop-in sessions during the consultation says: “The proposed improvements will help us to reduce the running costs of the estate and also make more efficient use of space allowing for flexible working practices.

"This ensures that we are able to deliver the best possible service to the local community.”

The proposed redevelopment could cost £59 million. Once completed the station will have:

  • A modern environment with a focus on mobile digital technology to enable officers to report and respond in the community
  • Maintaining 24/7 Front Counter public access and the Grade II Listed building
  • Increased and more flexible floor space to accommodate additional police officers and personnel
  • Improved and expanded stables that will maintain the popular presence of mounted police in the Hammersmith area
  • Basement parking for more vehicles and making better use of the site
  • A new yard enabling large vehicles and horse boxes to be taken into the site and off the road
  • Spaces for lockers, welfare and catering facilities
  • A new and expanded custody suite
  • Memorials within the site, such as the Second World War memorial above the front desk, will be stored away and reinstated into the new-look station once building in completed

The construction programme for the rebuild was awarded to Wates Construction after a tender process.

Members of the public can view plans at the police station on Thursday (July 21) and Friday (July 22) between 3-7pm, and on Saturday (July 23) 10am-4pm.

Memorials such as this, currently above the front counter at Hammersmith Police Station, will remain

As well as attending the drop-ins, comments, feedback and questions can be made by going to the consultation website , emailing hammersmithconsultation@met.pnn.police.uk or calling 020 7612 8480.

Feedback can be left before a planning application is submitted in August.