This is a sneak preview of what a new eco-friendly police station in North Wales will look like – inside and out.
Construction will start on January 23 after North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones signed the contract giving the go-ahead to build the eastern command and custody facility.
The building on the site of a former warehouse in Llay, near Wrexham, will include energy saving features designed to reduce future running costs.
The state-of-the art complex, costing £21.5 million, will have photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, rainwater harvesting to save water usage and LED lighting to reduce electricity consumption.
Main contractors Galliford Try are due to complete the building in 2018 and up to 200 officers and staff will be based there at any one time.
When it’s open, the new building will provide modern custody facilities with 32 cells to detain people arrested in Wrexham and Flintshire.
Meanwhile, the antiquated high-rise police station in Wrexham will be demolished and a new town centre station with a public front desk will be opened in the former Oriel Gallery in the town centre.
Mr Jones said: “The new facility will provide a suitable location for police officers to work out of, for visitors to visit and for prisoners to be detained.
“The building is going to be of high quality and fit for 21st century policing, it will be good for morale.
“Ensuring there is a strong element of local employment and training has been written into the procurement process and that’s really important.
“I hope that, as well as Wrexham Council, Denbighshire and Flintshire county councils will also work with Galliford to ensure that we get the maximum number of apprentices involved in this project.
“Galliford Try have their own social value policies they’re working with so we’re on the same wavelength when it comes to boosting the local economy.”
According to Galliford Try, they are also committed to creating work experience opportunities for local people, apprenticeships and training courses to ensure maximum impact from their £16.7 million contract.
Jim Parker, the managing director of Galliford Try Building, said: “I think the design of the building is fantastic – it’s going to be a very energy efficient building that will be cost efficient to run.”
Chief Constable Mark Polin said: “This is excellent news for those who will work out of this new building and for the communities that they will serve. In particular the new custody suite, which is designed to be safer for staff and detainees, will make a big difference to the service we provide in the area.
“This new, state of the art building will provide excellent operational facilities and I am pleased to be able to give a clear indication to staff that the building will be ready for them to move in to in August 2018.”
