Plans for a Grade II-listed police section house to be turned into a creative hub for the University of Kent will go before Medway Council’s planning committee next week.

The designs for the space in Chatham Historic Dockyard include an exhibition space, cafe, meeting space, post-production studios, office and co-working space to be used by undergraduates, and academic and non-academic staff.

If supported, the plans are predicted to be completed by 2025.

The documents included with the application say the redevelopment will create 57 full-time jobs and generate more than £16 million in value for the local area over 10 years.

They also add that the site will host public events, artistic programmes, rotating exhibitions, short courses, and volunteering programmes and play a part in Medway’s cultural strategy.

The project has already gained £5.6 million in funding from the Department of Levelling Up as well as £3.5 million from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport via Arts Council England.

The plans have also been successful at the development stage for applications to receive National Lottery funding, which would provide a further £3.5 million for the development.

Creative Estuary - a four-year, multi-partner programme led by the University of Kent behind the plans - aims to transform 60 miles of the Thames Estuary across Essex and Kent into one of the most exciting cultural hubs in the world.

The police station, built in 1857, has been partially refurbished since 1987 when the dockyard closed and has been used by various companies as office space.

The planning documents say that the new facility will be a unique creative space offering something exciting to students and locals.

They said: “The Docking Station will give Medway campus a distinctive identity and direct connection with the creative digital industries.

“The Docking Station will support and increase the profile of the university’s ambition to be a recognised national and international leader in the cultural and creative industries by 2025.”

The transformation has been recommended for approval by planning officers with the condition that some mitigation be put in place for wildlife that might be affected.

Although officers found no significant flaws in the plans - and would normally approve without the necessity for councillor involvement - due to the sensitive nature and significance of the building, members will vote on it at the next meeting.

The next planning meeting will take place on December 20 where councillors will have the chance to vote on the plans.