Police hope to sell off 116-year-old station

The police station in Thornhill was built in 1909

Police are hoping to sell off a 116-year-old station they no longer use in the south of Scotland.

The imposing sandstone building in Thornhill has "no operational purpose" with staff in Sanquhar or Dumfries dealing with incidents in the town instead.

It was built in 1909 and is category C listed due to its historical significance but police said it no longer reflected the demands of 21st Century policing.

Ch Insp Duncan Cameron added: "The disposal of Thornhill should not be seen as a withdrawal from communities."

He added: "We want to maintain a local presence, however in ways that are more effective, sustainable and accessible.

"Our police stations serve as a base for officers, where they begin and end their shift.

"Our officers spend the majority of their shift out in the community."

He said advances in technology meant they no longer needed a station to complete reports and they could respond effectively without "relying on a fixed location".

"Thornhill is a vacant station and is no longer required," he said.

"If our proposal goes ahead, there would be no change to the level of service or response to the community.

"Officers would continue to patrol and respond to incidents as they always have."

A consultation on the proposal has been launched and runs until 4 December.