What happened to Yorkshire’s old police stations? From cells to homes and hotels
Police stations were once prominent fixtures in towns and cities across Yorkshire, but changes to the way forces operate have left many of the buildings looking for a new purpose.
Some have been carefully restored and converted into homes, while others have undergone more unusual transformations – including one where people can now eat, drink and spend the night.
Elsewhere, major redevelopment plans are taking shape, while a former police station in Hull has attracted interest from potential buyers.
Here is what became of six former police stations across Yorkshire.
Wakefield – Wood Street
Wakefield's former police station on Wood Street has been transformed into homes as part of the regeneration of the city's historic Civic Quarter.
The building has been converted into 33 one, two and three-bedroom rental apartments as part of the Wood Street Collection.
Wakefield Council confirms the apartments are now complete, with the redevelopment forming part of a wider regeneration project in the area.
Other work includes new homes on former car park sites and plans to bring Wakefield's former Crown Court back into use as a mixed-use venue, incorporating community and working spaces alongside food and drink facilities.
Northallerton – High Street
Northallerton's former police station has undergone one of the more unusual transformations, becoming a pub with rooms.
The Georgian High Street building served as a police station for around 30 years before services moved to Alverton Court in 2017.
The Inn Collection Group bought the empty building in 2020 and carried out an 18-month, multi-million-pound redevelopment before The Northallerton Inn opened in 2022.
Its policing past has not disappeared completely, with original features retained and former custody cells converted into bedrooms.
Retired inspector John Proud, who was in charge of the station between 1995 and 2003, returned to officially open its new incarnation.
Harrogate – North Park Road
Harrogate's former police station on North Park Road has been transformed into homes after serving the town for more than 80 years.
Designed by West Riding County Architect Percy Oats Platts in 1927, it opened in 1931 as the headquarters of the Claro Division.
The station became redundant in May 2012 and was granted Grade II-listed status that September.
In 2013, an unconditional £1.55m offer for the site was approved, with a further £350,000 dependent on planning permission.
The site was subsequently restored and redeveloped into 25 homes, comprising nine houses and 16 apartments. The project retained historic features including the original entrance doors, windows and elements of the former muster room.
York – Alma Terrace
A Victorian former police station in York has found a very different purpose more than 140 years after it was built.
The building on Alma Terrace was constructed for the East Riding Constabulary in 1880 and originally contained a charge room, three cells and two homes for resident police officers.
York's Historic Environment Record says that after 1884 it also became a base for the Fulford fire engine.
The building was later converted into a guesthouse in the late 1970s before returning to residential use.
Today, the former police station is a private residential property, with its distinctive red-brick exterior, arched windows and decorative chimneys recalling its Victorian origins.
Weetwood – Leeds
The former Weetwood Police Station in Leeds is set for a major transformation, with the old buildings due to be demolished to make way for housing.
The Otley Road station closed in 2020 and the site was subsequently acquired by Pickard Properties.
While awaiting redevelopment, the buildings have had temporary uses, including television and film production and as a crèche.
In April 2026, the developer announced it had secured planning permission for 127 build-to-rent apartments, including one, two and three-bedroom homes alongside communal green areas.
Unlike several other former stations on this list, the police building itself will not be converted. It is set to be replaced by a new residential development.
Hull – Hessle Road
Hull's former Hessle Road Police Station is awaiting a new use after being placed on the market as a redevelopment opportunity.
The purpose-built station opened in 1985 and was declared surplus to requirements following the relocation of Humberside Police operations.
In March 2026, the property was marketed by Sanderson Weatherall, offering approximately 38,951 sq ft of accommodation on a 2.53-acre site.
On June 15, the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner recorded a formal decision concerning the sale of the former station.
The property's marketing information subsequently identified it as under offer, although the listing has since been removed by the agent.
No completed redevelopment or confirmed future use has been established, leaving the former station's next chapter uncertain.