Dorset Police headquarter plans: Bird strike fear over shiny building

Bronze aluminium windows and outer walls are planned for the new headquarters building at Winfrith

Concerns have been raised over the planned shiny surface of a new police headquarters building amid fears birds could fly into it.

Dorset Police's 60-year-old headquarters building at Winfrith is set to be demolished and replaced.

Wool Parish Council is worried the reflective surface of the proposed new complex could lead to bird deaths.

The plans, featuring bronze aluminium windows and outer walls, are under consideration by Dorset Council.

The existing three-storey building will be demolished and replaced

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Wool Parish Council said the drawings for the curtain walling on the building show the reflection of sky, clouds and trees.

In a letter to Dorset Council, it said: "It is well documented that reflective surfaces on buildings cause tens of thousands of bird deaths as the birds attempt to fly though the surface into the landscape they see in the reflection."

The authority added there were colonies of house martins and swifts living nearby which could be at particular risk.

It continued: "Both bird species would be vulnerable to lethal impact into reflective surfaces… it would appear that the vertical faces of this proposed building would have reflective surfaces… and without mitigation would pose a significant lethal threat to these birds."

The planned new complex is similar in size to the existing three-story building which the force has said is no longer fit for use.