It may surprise some of you to learn that, even though Wanstead Police Station is within a conservation area and locally listed it could still be demolished if it is closed and sold off after 2012.
The only way to prevent this, or any other building being pulled down, is if it has a national listing, which in this case would be a Grade II.
Thanks to the hard work of Geoff Horsnell and others on the Wanstead Society Committee we have submitted an application form to English Heritage for just that purpose and hope that we can gain a Grade II listing for this much-treasured building. By doing so, the building will be saved for future generations to enjoy whether it is a police station or not.
Not only is it the only station in East London to have a working blue lamp outside, the station has recently appeared in Behind the Blue Lamp which is a book about the workings of police stations in London. In addition, the picturesque station adds to the village feel of our part of the world and is the only building still being used for the purpose that it was designed for back in 1886.
We hope that English Heritage listens to our concerns and that we can bring you some good news in the not too distant future.
I would like to know if there is anything I can do to second the application?
If you are compiling info. on our Police Station and it helps the application; it was designed in 1886 by John Butler Architect to the Metropolitan Police. He and his son,who succeeded him designed over 200 police and fire stations in London,many of them now Grade 2 Listed,ie Northwood and Woolwich are fine examples.
One of the main reasons for other station listings is, and it would certainly apply to Wanstead ; “the style is subtly expressed and the building is equal in architectural quality to the best of the suburban development with which it sought to be in keeping.”
The building is also given a mention in Pevsner’s London 5: East, the bible of good buildings.
I sincerely hope an application is successful.
Rob Maitland