ARCHITECTS and a project management company have been appointed to head the multi-million pound conversion of the former Petersfield police station into a museum and heritage centre.

The Victorian police station in St Peter’s Road was bought by Petersfield Museum last summer and it’s estimated that converting it could cost as much as £3m; the project gained a £182,000 Heritage Lottery grant last year.

Last week it was announced that architects from Hampshire County Council property services team and a project management team from London based company, Lendlease, have been appointed.

Museum trustee Bill Gosney said: “Both appointments were the result of a proper tendering process, three companies for each role were shortlisted and one selected.

“The county council experts had done preliminary work for us and were by the far best suited, and Lendlease is an international company who has done a lot of work on museums, and two of the team who will be overseeing the conversion are local.

“The project director comes from Liphook and the project manager lives very close to Petersfield, and although this had nothing to with company winning the tender, it is a plus.”

But there is about two years of preparations and fundraising to do before work can begin on converting the building, which opened in 1858, into a Victorian Justice Heritage Centre.

The will also be an art gallery housing the Flora Twort Exhibition, which was housed in a converted cottage in Church Walk she left to the town to show her paintings, and those of other local artists.

The cottage was recently sold for about £350,000, which will go some way toward recouping the £450,000 cost of buying the police station from Hampshire Constabulary.

The new owners took possession of the cottage last Friday, (January 8), after all the art works and the historic clothing display had been removed.

Mr Gosney said: “it’s now all in the police station, and minor works we are doing so it can partially open to the public on April 2 are on schedule.

“The Flora Twort paintings and the period clothing will go on display, and there will be a temporary walkway through the police station courtyard to current museum in what was the old magistrates court.

“The museum’s current entrance will be closed, and entry will be through the police station. It will also be fully disabled and wheelchair accessible.”

As well as the justice heritage center, art gallery, and costume display there will be an archive for papers and books relating to Steep poet Edward Thomas and a quiet room where his works can be studied.