Investment of £100m for police hubs over 10 years

Wiltshire's Police & Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson (right) with Chief Constable Catherine Roper (left)

More than £100m will be invested into Wiltshire Police hubs over the next decade.

It will include £90m for redeveloping the police headquarters in Devizes and £19m for a new station near Salisbury.

The investment was announced at the new Tidworth Police Station, which officers are moving into on Monday.

The station has been created as the “final piece to provide coverage” of the whole of Wiltshire.

Tidworth's new police station is at the town's new civic centre

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said “it will be a major challenge raising that sort of money”, although he already has plans to find £30m.

The Wiltshire Police headquarters in Devizes will be redeveloped in phases to ensure that the money is there, starting with the operational sections.

Mr Wilkinson explained that the headquarters is “falling to pieces.”

“It would not pass any surveys. It’s a mess,” he added.

By putting a new police station in Tidworth, it fills a “huge hole in the East of the county” and explained that it makes it easier to cover flare-ups of some crimes in the area or send specialist teams out to proper facilities when needed.

The previous police station there was a red brick house in the town.

Wiltshire Police Headquarters in Devizes is expected to get a huge investment

Chief Constable Catherine Roper was complimentary of Mr Wilkinson's Estate Strategy, explaining it would "enable them to provide the best possible service".

She said they have recently changed how they work, so more buildings like the new station in Tidworth would allow them to be more visible and support communities.

People will be able to book appointments to see an officer the new station.

Sitting in the new parade room there, she said "this was an area where historically we didn't have the presence we wanted to have."

Tidworth's new base is in the town's new civic centre, something the town's mayor, Carole Webb, is pleased with.

"Having the police here will give the residents of Tidworth and Perham Down the feeling of security knowing that there is someone here working in the community looking out for their interests and protecting them."

Tidworth's police station is completely new, and includes a locker room

There has been much previous discussion of a new policing hub in Salisbury, but a site has not yet been decided, with the Old Sarum and Highpost being touted as possible locations.

The Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable Catherine Roper have both said the current situation in the South of Wiltshire does not meet policing needs, which is why a new hub is needed.

Mr Wilkinson explained these investments would make officers better equipped to provide “the policing service out communities want.”

“I know what needs to be done because the people of Wiltshire have told me.”