Options emerge for new Salisbury police station

The Wilton Road police station and custody suite closed in 2014 due to budget cuts

Three options have emerged for a replacement site for a city police station.

Salisbury lost its station eight years ago and officers are currently sharing a council facility at Bourne Hill.

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson ordered a review after widespread criticism.

The options include refurbishing the current office, a new community hub at Wilton Road or a new police station at High Post, north of Salisbury.

The new facility is unlikely to be used to detain suspects due to the extra costs of running a custody suite.

Philip Wilkinson was elected Wiltshire PCC in August 2021

The nearest custody suite to Salisbury is in Melksham, about 30 miles (48km) away and the only other remaining custody suite is in Swindon about 40 miles (approx 64km) away.

PCC Mr Wilkinson said: "Both the Chief Constable and I want Salisbury's communities to have officers who are able to operate effectively, with the ability of neighbourhood policing teams to be more visible and accessible to the public and we will work together to deliver this.

"I have always been clear that we should engage with residents in the south at every opportunity so they can hear from those people in charge of making decisions on their behalf, so they can see and hear the detail but also so that they can have their views heard and listened to."

The PCC is responsible for setting the policing priorities in the Police and Crime Plan, controlling the budget and appointing the Chief Constable, who is in charge of the operational side of policing.

The public can give their views at an event at Salisbury Guildhall on the evening of Monday, 31 October.

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