Thirsk revealed as location for new North Yorkshire police headquarters

Details of the exact location of the site and detailed costs have not been revealed as negotiations are continuing, but police bosses say the base, which will replace the HQ at the Grade II listed Newby Wiske Hall, near Northallerton, will be “slightly bigger” than Harrogate’s new station which cost around £18m.

Police chiefs say the current HQ is outdated, costs £1m a year to run and the move will allow the dated custody suite in Northallerton to be replaced.

However, Richmondshire district councillor Mick Griffith had earlier raised concerns about the loss of a station in Northallerton and expressed fears about the time it would take to get between Northallerton and the new custody suite in Thirsk.

The move to a new headquarters is part of the second phase of the force’s estate strategy. The first phase involved the creation of the new police station in Harrogate.

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “This decision wouldn’t even be on the table if there wasn’t a clear operational reason for it. Policing services will improve because of better support, more reliable infrastructure and better use of technology.

“The new facility will realise significant savings in terms of running costs and future capital savings following the sale of Newby Wiske Hall, which itself costs in the region of £1m a year to maintain.”

Chief Constable, Dave Jones, said: “It makes long-term operational and financial sense to move North Yorkshire Police headquarters away from Newby Wiske Hall, which is simply not sustainable.”

The force says investing in a new headquarters, paid for by a mixture of reserves and some borrowing, does not come from the same budget as police officers.