Huge revamp of police buildings goes ahead despite cash squeeze

Construction of the state-of-the-art station, which will provide a base for around 200 police officers and staff as well as specialist units and a 16-cell custody suite, was officially opened by Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell and Jane Kenyon, the chairwoman of the North Yorkshire Police Authority (NYPA), yesterday.

The new building, at Beckwith Knowle on the outskirts of Harrogate, is seen as vital in replacing the current town centre station, built in the 1930s and branded as “Dickensian” and no longer fit for purpose by senior officers.

But despite North Yorkshire Police’s budget black hole, expected to grow to more than £13m by March 2015, Ms Kenyon says similar massive overhauls of its buildings planned across the county over the next 10 years will still take place.

“We are still planning a drastic transformation of our estates in North Yorkshire,” she said.

“Modern buildings are more efficient to run and more efficient to work with.

“We have been making sure that the budget for this is ring-fenced.

“It has to be recognised that we are in a position where we have to economise and we are facing a lot of difficulties but we are able to move forward to make sure our resources are used for appropriate sites.

“This has been many years in the planning and work beginning on the Harrogate site brings this a step nearer.”

The NYPA is planning for up to four major developments like the Harrogate site over the next 10 years, but Mr Maxwell admitted plans to open smaller satellite stations were having to be scaled back.

The new Harrogate station, which was initially expected to cost up to £24m but has been reduced due to high-competition among contractors in the wake of the recession, was officially purchased by the force on Friday last week and is now planned to be opened by May 2012.

As part of the plans, a smaller station will be opened up in the town centre – a number of sites are currently in the pipeline – and the current headquarters in North Park Road will be sold off.

“It is going to be a state-of-the-art police station and will ensure we are at the cutting edge,” said Mr Maxwell.

“We have known for some time that we would have had to invest £10m in the old station just to keep it running for another 10 years.

“This new building will give us at least 30 years. The cost of running such an old and outdated property is also much higher.

“Taking all these factors into consideration, a new station provides the taxpayer with the most cost-effective long-term solution and will provide an effective policing base in Harrogate for many years to come.”

Despite the new station being several miles away from the current base and a 30-minute walk from the town centre, senior officers have moved to reassure residents there will still be a considerable police presence in Harrogate with a greater emphasis placed on their neighbourhood safety teams.

The Safer Neighbourhood Commander for Harrogate, Supt Ken McIntosh, said: “This new building is excellent news for us and the communities we serve in the Harrogate area.

“The new station will provide a more efficient, streamlined workplace and base for our officers and staff.

“It will give the infrastructure and support needed to carry out their public duties as efficiently as possible.

“The local Safer Neighbourhood Team base planned for the town centre will enhance our service and ensure that members of the public will have access to our services in a convenient location.”