Wiltshire PCC: Plans to buy Old Sarum land for police station

But a planning app for the High Post is still in the works

Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner says he is working on a deal to buy six acres of land in Old Sarum for a new south police centre.

Philip Wilkinson has pledged to introduce a police station for the Salisbury area within six months of being re-elected as the county’s PCC.

He says the “step forward” for Old Sarum is “great news” with a planning application being drawn up.

But plans are also being worked on for a police station at the High Post at the same time, in case of trouble and to keep “all viable options available”.

Wiltshire PCC Philip Wilkinson said:

“The Chief Constable and I have very clearly invested in our legacy estates and identifying new locations for police centers will ensure that Wiltshire Police has the right infrastructure to provide the most effective policing service for the whole county.

“With the right locations – and this includes Salisbury city center police stations – Wiltshire Police will be able to deliver what our communities want and deserve – a more consistent approach to policing, alongside increased proactive and visible policing in their neighbourhoods.

“Chief Constable Roper is delivering on his commitment by implementing a new operating model which is delivering results for our communities and I am delighted that we are now starting to see the delivery of the right premises and infrastructure begin to complement the improvement of the police service. image.

“It hasn’t been an easy road to get to this point – and it hasn’t happened as quickly as I or our communities would have liked – but my team and office can now really focus on delivering key milestones in framework of our new estate strategy.”

Wiltshire Chief Constable Catherine Roper said:

“This is a significant step forward in providing a fully functional property for my officers and staff in the south of our county.

“I believe that well-placed and equipped policing places provide the basis for my teams to work smarter, adapt to changing crime demand and, more importantly, provide a greater presence to our communities.

“These plans will enable us to be a modern and visible organization that supports our communities and workforce and deliver on our commitment to keeping Wiltshire Safe.”

Both possible Southern Policing Hub sites are the same size, with £19m of funding for its creation already allocated from the PCC budget.

But that doesn’t include allocation for a custodial unit at this stage.

The project team believes that any potential location is flexible enough in size to include one at a later date if necessary for operational reasons.

Mr Wilkinson said: “Until we get planning permission and there is a spade in the ground we are not promised a police center in the south but the key thing is that all the steps are being taken in the right direction.

“Delivering a police service that meets the needs of its communities has never been more important – or challenging. I know residents want more public involvement with officers, more public access and an increased officer presence at the community level.

“All of this is underpinned by the importance of investing in the police ‘estate’ to support the delivery of a policing service that we know our residents want and deserve.

“Failing to invest in our police estate would become increasingly detrimental to the policing service we receive in our communities and maintaining old, legacy buildings at huge cost would not be a justified use of public money.

“I believe that Wiltshire Police will be better equipped to deliver the policing service that our communities want if they have the infrastructure to support them to respond more effectively and efficiently.”

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