A former police station could soon have inmates of a different kind when it is coverted into flats.
Cells will be replaced by 16 apartments on the site of the old St Andrews Police Station, which was vacated by officers several years ago.
Planning consent has finally been issued to demolish the “architecturally unremarkable” 1930s building in North Street and replace it with two blocks.
As well as cells on the ground floor and offices, the abandoned headquarters also has two flats created for police officers charged with protecting Prince William while he studied at the town’s university.
Permission for the development was first sought in 2013 but was refused by councillors then on appeal by a Scottish Government reporter.
Reporter Sinead Lynch ruled that the scale and massing of one of the blocks would harm the character and appearances of the town’s conservation area to an unacceptable degree.
But Fife Council’s north-east planning committee unanimously accepted the revised the proposals.
Councillors were told by planner Chris Smith that the design was acceptable.
In his report, he said: “Since the previous application was refused and the appeal dismissed, key changes are now proposed which are considered acceptable to address the previous issues of design, scale and protection of residential amenity.”
The front block will have six storeys, including two floor levels in the attic and one at basement level.
Underground car parking will be created with 14 spaces.
Both St Andrews Community Council and St Andrews Preservation Trust had objected to the proposal.
The trust voiced major concerns about the mass of the development, warning it would detract substantially from views of St Salvator’s Chapel and Georgian buildings including the Crawford Arts Centre.
Police officers moved from the town centre station to a new base fit for the 21 century in the former St Andrews health centre in Pipeland Road three years ago.