INTEREST is mounting in a seafront housing development planned on the site of a disused police station.

North-East development company Wilcomm Bespoke Living has bought the Grade II-listed former police office in Seaham, County Durham.

The deal also included the acquisition of the surrounding 1.5 acre site, off the seafront promenade on North Road.

Wilcomm managing director Kevin Wilde, the former owner of Sunderland and Newcastle greyhound stadiums, said the company planned to develop a multi-million pound residential complex to include a mix of town houses and luxury flats in a £4m project.

Having completed previous housing schemes at South Shields and Easington Lane within Wilcomm's first 18-months, Mr Wilde said the Seaham development would be the company's flagship site.

He said: "There has been a massive amount of interest already from people wanting to live there.

"The seafront location of this site made it a prime spot for residential housing."

Apart from the conversion of the police station building, Londonderry House, about a dozen town houses are to be built on the site plus a small block of flats designed to complement nearby buildings.

Mr Wilde said such is the level of interest that he expects having little difficulty selling the 30 residential units.

The building dates from 1857. It was used as offices for the Londonderry family, which owned Seaham's collieries and developed the harbour to ship out coal.

It subsequently housed the town's first police station until the Durham force moved into accommodation, half-a-mile away, off Graham Way and The Avenue, in April 2002.

Wearside building company Hellens bought Londonderry House, which has stood derelict for the past two years.

Hellens put forward initial development plans, now adopted by Wilcomm since its recent purchase of the site.

The proposals include the restoration of the landmark original clock tower at Londonderry House.

Work is due to begin on the project on Monday, May 24, with the first apartments expected to be complete later this year or early in 2005.