Demolition Plans Submitted for Derelict Bitterne Police Station After Years of Uncertainty

Plans have been formally submitted to demolish the long-abandoned Bitterne Police Station, nearly a decade after it was first closed in a cost-saving move.

Located on Bursledon Road in Southampton, the two-storey detached station has remained unused since 2016, when it was shut as part of a wider strategy to reduce operational costs across Hampshire Constabulary. Despite a 2020 announcement suggesting the site might reopen, the proposal was later scrapped. By 2022, demolition had been floated as the most likely outcome.

The building, which is not listed and lies outside any conservation area, is now considered to be in a state of disrepair. According to documents submitted with the application, the structure has deteriorated significantly and no longer meets viable refurbishment standards. Utility supplies have already been disconnected in preparation for potential demolition works.

In October 2024, Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones addressed the building’s future during a Hampshire County Council meeting. She confirmed that assessments were underway to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of demolishing the site versus refurbishing it for continued use.

“We’ve had some assessments done around the cost for demolition,” Jones said at the time. “The key thing is that we need something in that part of Southampton, but the police station is not in a particularly great state of repair, so it’s whether or not we do convert or we refurb.”

Pending approval, demolition work could begin in the coming months. The fate of the site post-demolition has not yet been confirmed.

The local community has long called for the reopening of Bitterne Police Station and remains hopeful that a new facility will be built on the site.