Description
Locally listed 51 Union Grove was once home to Clapham's Police Force. The ex-police station was originally built in 1907 and had been in policing use until it became surplus to the Metropolitan Police’s requirements in 2013.
Before its renovation, the original ‘l-shaped’ main building extended along its Union Grove frontage to the north west and its Smedley Street frontage to the north east while the rear of the site comprised a two-storey extension built in 1968 to provide garage and canteen accommodation; this extension attached to the south-eastern corner of the locally listed building to form a ‘C’ shape.
The whole building was subject to a two-phased development. Phase one comprised the older, listed part of the property fronting Union Grove and Smedley being converted into a residential property to create 16 high specification self-contained units. The ex-Police station’s original facade was sensitively maintained, and the building was renovated to achieve a BREEAM ‘very good’ rating.
Location Clapham
Property Type C3
Total floor space 1461.50
The second phase of the renovation comprised the demolition of the 1960’s rear wing and the erection of a new four-storey wing to provide four further dwellings. This new build element was constructed to code for sustainable homes level 4 and was subsequently named ‘2B Smedley Street’. Both elements were also built to ‘secure by design’ high crime area standards.
The development also comprised the creation of a communal outdoor amenity space, cycle storage for 28 cycles, the provision of a refuse storage area and alterations to the Smedley Street boundary.
The 51 Union Street/2B Smedley Street site enjoys excellent transport links into central London and beyond. Wandsworth Road Overground Station (part of the newly-opened London Overground orbital train network), with fast services into London Victoria and London Bridge is located approximately 0.25 miles from the property while Stockwell Underground Station, served by the Northern and Victoria lines is located around a third of a mile from the property. These, along with regular local bus services provide quick and easy access into the City, West End, Clapham, Tooting, Croydon and more. The property also lies only a few minutes’ walk from Larkhall Park which boasts a community garden, grass and artificial surface football pitches, two tennis courts, children’s play space and café.
