Police HQ mansion target of review by new chief

North Yorkshire Police’s main base has been deemed unfit for the needs of 21st century policing and a wide-ranging study to look at moving to a new multi-million pound headquarters is due to be undertaken over the next four months.

The county’s Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan’s pledge to move the force out of the Grade II listed premises in the village of Newby Wiske, near Northallerton, was a cornerstone of her manifesto before she was elected in November. Top-level talks between Mrs Mulligan and senior officers have now identified Thirsk as the preferred location, forming a “diamond” pattern with other key bases in Harrogate, Scarborough and York.

Mrs Mulligan confirmed the Newby Wiske headquarters is set to cost taxpayers an annual bill of more than £1m over the next 17 years to maintain. Funding of £150,000 has been approved to carry out the review, which will look at combining the existing police station and custody suite in Northallerton with a new headquarters.

Mrs Mulligan said: “There are also frequent problems with the power supply and accessibility, not to mention other issues that come with maintaining a Grade II listed building. These proposals are about improving the service we can offer the public of North Yorkshire – prioritising Bobbies over buildings.

“What’s more, an initial top-level review concluded that by combining new custody facilities for the north of the county with a new HQ we may be able to improve services and save money in the longer term. We will therefore be focussing on the area around Northallerton and Thirsk as a potential location for a new northern base.”

The force approved a strategy in 2008 which has seen a major restructuring of its operations across the county, prompting concerns that front-line policing could be at risk as opening times across a series of stations have been reduced. The initial phase of the strategy also involved building a new multi-million pound station in Harrogate.

The next stage will involve the relocation of the force’s main headquarters and while Mrs Mulligan stressed no decision will be made until the review has been completed, Thirsk is now considered the most likely location for a new base.

The current headquarters lies within a conservation area which has added to the complications for maintaining the property, which dates from the 18th century when the original building was built as a private residence. The premises have been extended and it was used as local authority offices, before it was converted into a police station in 1987. But the fact the building was originally a domestic dwelling has meant its lay-out is far from ideal for modern offices.

A report to Mrs Mulligan claimed the location of the Newby Wiske headquarters is “far from ideal”, with poor access to the main road network in the county. There have been two occasions in recent months when the headquarters was inaccessible due to flooding.

The review is expected to be completed by the end of July, although an exact timescale of any move to a new headquarters has yet to be established.

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