Interserve wins £150m West Yorkshire police headquarters contract

The consortium, led by support services group Interserve, won the contract from West Yorkshire Police Authority and West Yorkshire Police to design, build, finance and operate two new divisional headquarters, custody suites and a training facility.

The headquarters and their custody facilities will be in Leeds and Normanton. The training centre, which will include firearms training ranges, driver training and public order training facilities, will be next to the force’s Operational Support Division in Wakefield.

The training facilities will enable officers to “train for reality”, said Interserve.

Interserve will provide facilities management (FM) services at all the locations for 25 years after completing the construction.

The Normanton headquarters is expected to be complete by the end of 2013, with the training centre and Leeds site following in the first half of 2014.

The total design and construction cost will be £100m and the FM cost will be approximately £50m over the 25-year period.

Interserve and consortium partner Equitix, the infrastructure developer and fund manager, will each invest £4.3m in the project.

Interserve chief executive Adrian Ringrose said: “These police facilities represent a key element of regional infrastructure, so we’re obviously proud the Authority has entrusted Interserve with creating and supporting them. We’re already heavily involved in the region, having worked here for many years.

“We’ve built facilities such as the Winter Gardens in Sheffield and the flood defences in Ripon, and we have a 10-year strategic partnership with Leeds City Council through which we’re constructing and managing a number of schools and other amenities.

“Recently we acquired the Leeds-based welfare-to-work business BEST, through which we’re helping the long-term unemployed in South and West Yorkshire back into work.”

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police Authority said: “The construction and operation of these new facilities will provide a timely boost for the local economy. At least 85 per cent of subcontracts will be awarded to local companies, and at least 65 per cent of construction staff will live locally.

“Interserve has also made detailed commitments to support skills and training for young people, including a firm commitment to support 85 young people across West Yorkshire to access apprenticeships.”

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