Dartford's old police station and magistrates court looks set to redeveloped and turned into a new 10,000 sq ft 'co-working space' for businesses.

Planning consent has been granted for the proposed development, paving the way for a new hub for local small businesses, complete with co-working space, cafe and meeting rooms.

This will see the well-known Dartford Magistrates Court and Police Station "transformed from vacant buildings into a vibrant community space."

The court, located on Highfield Road, shut its doors several years ago and has since fallen into disrepair.

Sanmi Adegoke, the CEO of Rehoboth Property International, who are behind the plans, said they were "delighted" to have secured planning consent.

He said they were keen to transform the site whilst "preserving the historic context of the buildings," and were looking to provide a range of facilities for local residents to use.

Offices will be created from former cells but architectural features of historical significance such as the main cell door will be retained as a condition of planning permission.

This change of use relates to the building fronting Highfield Road only and includes a single-storey extension to the rear to provide a new entrance for wheelchair access.

"Our co-working model encourages and facilitates a positive work space by providing suitable, safe, secure environments that stimulate and encourage innovation.

We would like to thank all who have engaged in the planning process and helped to shape our proposals.”

The company says that despite the economic blowout caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, they are still optimistic that local Dartford and south east London businesses are looking for affordable workspace.

Construction has started, and the site is hoped to be ready for October.

The company also added that the safety of construction workers is of paramount importance, and a number of measures are in place to ensure the area is safe and compliant with social distancing requirements.