Renfrewshire Council is pressing ahead with plans to demolish the rear cell block and office extensions of the former Renfrew Police Station, with demolition contractors Caskie now on site and work well underway.
The £263,000 restoration project will see the removal of the outdated rear buildings, former police cells and hazardous materials, work tackling extensive dry rot that has affected parts of the property has already been undertaken. The work is intended to make the site far more attractive to future developers and help secure a long-term future for the landmark building.
Located on Inchinnan Road, the former police station has stood empty since Police Scotland relocated operations to a new station on Station Road in 2012. While the front of the building is protected as a B-listed property, the later rear extensions have deteriorated significantly during years of vacancy.
Demolition contractors Caskie moved onto the site around 10 days ago, with machinery already dismantling the rear sections of the building. Once complete, only the historic B-listed frontage will remain, paving the way for future restoration and redevelopment.
Built in 1910, the impressive Scots Baronial-style police station was designed by renowned architect Alexander Nisbet Paterson and has been a familiar feature of Renfrew for more than a century. Over the decades it has witnessed countless moments in the town’s history, serving generations of police officers and the local community before falling silent more than a decade ago.
Rather than leaving the costly demolition work to a future developer, Renfrewshire Council has opted to carry out the clearance itself. By removing the dilapidated rear sections and addressing structural issues now, the authority hopes to improve the site’s appeal for community or commercial redevelopment while preserving the historic main building.
The property is currently being managed through the Renfrew Common Good Fund, with local groups, including Renfrew Community Council, continuing to call for the community to play a key role in shaping the building’s future.
It is hoped the project will mark the beginning of a new chapter for the former police station, ensuring that one of Renfrew’s historic landmarks can once again become an active and valued part of the town.
Paisley Photographs 