A unused former station house at Rowlands Castle Station has been given a new lease of life, becoming a vibrant creative hub that will deliver lasting benefits for the local community.

Working in partnership with South Western Railway, Hampshire Community Rail Partnership and Making Space, Amey PCI has helped facilitate the transformation of the station accommodation into an exciting new home for local artists and makers.

The refurbishment has transformed what had become a tired building into a bright and fully functioning space, creating an environment from which Making Space can expand its creative and community activities.

The building is already home to a diverse group of artisans undertaking a fascinating range of creative disciplines, including textile art, traditional loom weaving, gilding and decorative plasterwork using pressed flowers from significant occasions.

Importantly, the project extends far beyond providing workspace.

Through Making Space's Reach Out programme, the artists and craftspeople based at Rowlands Castle will help children and young adults with learning disabilities participate in creative activities within an inclusive and supportive environment. The programme also provides valuable support and respite for families during school holidays.

The project demonstrates the wider social value that can be created by finding imaginative and sustainable new uses for underutilised railway property. Rather than allowing redundant station accommodation to remain vacant, collaborative projects such as Rowlands Castle can create welcoming spaces that support local organisations, encourage creativity and deliver tangible benefits for the communities served by the railway.

Amey PCI has a strong track record of working with South Western Railway and community organisations to bring redundant railway accommodation back into productive use. Rowlands Castle follows a growing portfolio of community-led station projects, demonstrating how effective property management can deliver benefits extending well beyond the traditional landlord and tenant relationship.

The transformation has also been supported through investment in the building, with the refurbishment works helping prepare the former station accommodation for its new purpose. Earlier project discussions confirmed that the Rowlands Castle works were part-funded by the Railway Heritage Trust.

The new space represents another important step in ensuring railway property continues to play an active role at the heart of the communities it serves.