Cheshire Constabulary is asking for residents feedback on plans to redevelop Wilmslow Police Station on Hawthorn Street and close the help desk.
A proposal is being put forward to create a new, zero carbon station at the site with a view to become fully operational in around Summer 2023.
The new station will help save money in both utilities and maintenance costs but will also allow the Constabulary to sell the remainder of the unused land.
The plans for Wilmslow Police Station do not include a help desk, which generally receives less than 20 visitors per week - instead there still be an exterior direct dial phone that connects to the police control room.
For those wanting to speak to someone face-to-face, community surgeries are held at Wilmslow Library, Dean Row Centre, Handforth Youth Centre and Festival Hall in Alderley Edge.
Local policing Superintendent Peter Crowcroft said: "I would like to reassure the public that these proposals will not reduce the level of service or the current police presence in Wilmslow.
"We would welcome any feedback from the public on these proposals as it is important for us to hear what our communities want.
"The current proposals supports the force's commitment for an estate that is fit for the future based on operational needs and to have a police service that is truly connected with its local communities.
"The decision will retain a police station within the local community and achieve cost savings that can be re-invested into neighbourhood policing."
More people than ever are now choosing to contact the force by phone or via online services and the Constabulary are looking to prioritise resources in these key areas in order to meet the demand from the public.
John Dwyer, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, said: "The Constabulary and I share a long term commitment to a policing presence in Wilmslow and these proposals demonstrate our determination that residents get the very best from us.
"Wilmslow deserves a state of the art station that is fit for the force that serves you. We want to hear your feedback as it's vital that we remain engaged with our communities, so make sure you have your say."
Anyone can report a crime, incident or looking to seek advice from the police can do so by reporting online here, calling non-emergency service 101 or direct general enquiries through the Cheshire Police Facebook and Twitter accounts.
In the case of an emergency or threat to life, always dial 999.
To have your say on the proposals please visit https://www.cheshire.police.uk/wilmslow-survey
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
There is a theme developing here. In the name of progress and to the benefit of a developer, we lost the architectural merit and history of the old Police Station that was next Banks Square.
Any spare land that surrounds the current PS should be sold by the Constabulary to CEC. This land should then be used to build a small number of affordable Council owned, rentable properties, with appropriately proportioned parking spaces in a gated community. This way the land remains in Public Ownership and a commercially driven developer misses out.
Took them a bit longer than expected but here it comes and I wonder who it was at HQ that thought up the zero carbon angle - what a vote grabber!
Go one better, why not zero carbon cops, get rid of those that are actually visible to we citizens, invest in drones and run the lot from a block of offices in Chester.
We in this corner of Cheshire East are served by a cozy set up in Macclesfield (10-12 car miles away, not as the drone fly’s). Handforth has a regular copper and a PCSO Neighbourhood Policing Team that spend part of their working day (but not, as I recently discovered, every day) in the area; I guess Wilmslow and AE have been conned into a similar ‘service’ but in reality this community is policed from Macclesfield - are you happy with that because it’s now clear the powers that be have proved the move (was it three years ago) to a Macclesfield HQ/ operations centre has been a success (oh, and so so carbon neutral since each shift the cops clock-on and off in Macclesfield whilst patrolling the area on their bikes) because the virtually (deliberately) ‘abandoned’ modern station in Wilmslow is surplus to requirements. That conclusion was predicted since it was schemed so to do.
If you believe, as I do, that we are being short changed over policing you need to demonstrate by giving the appropriate feedback they have requested - I cannot guarantee they will take any notice but at least your negative feedback should count for something because the financial precept we contribute certainly does.
I agree with all the comments but doubt anything will come of it.
Might as well whistle into the zero carbon wind.
When the old police station was demolished to be replaced by the apartments, they then moved to Hawthorn Street.
Wilmslow needs a local police station and what ever is built on the remaining land could most definately be, council owned affordable homes as mentioned by Christopher. I sincerley hope that no one decides to get their grubby hands on Little Lindow and it is left alone to be green public space.
However it is looked at taxpayers hard, cold cash is involved.
A slight correction. I arrived in Wilmslow in 1994 and the former police station on Green Lane was then a public house called The Blue Lamp. The Police were operating out of the current Police Station on Hawthorn Street.
The planning application for the demolition of the public house and replacement with a block of 19 apartments was submitted and approved in 2003 (03/1536P).
Fortunately, the group of volunteers who developed the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan did see this coming. The following is extracted from the adopted document.
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The comprehensive redevelopment of these three neighbouring sites (POice Fire & Ambulans Stations) is supported subject to the following design principles, (see Map KS2):
• Provision of a high density residential development comprising a mix of starter homes, affordable housing and homes appropriate for those wishing to downsize
• Recognition of the importance of the Altrincham Road/Alma Road as a gateway to the Town Core
• Retention, and where appropriate enhancement, of the existing accesses to the site, off Beech Lane and Alma Lane
• Retention of the Little Lindow open space
• Preservation of the overall provision of green space
• Provision of a children’s play facility
• Consideration and incorporation of the change in levels across the site within design proposals
• Compliance with the building lines on Hawthorn Street, Beech Lane and Alma Lane
• The principal frontage of the properties must face onto the adjacent street and the Little Lindow open space
• Perimeter curtilages and landscape should complement existing street frontages
• Preservation of all mature trees to Altrincham Road and Hawthorn Street frontages
• Preservation of the desire line and footpath across Little Lindow
• Parking to be provided on-site and hidden from view from Little Lindow (internal courtyards and undercroft parking preferred; limited forecourt parking will be permitted)
• A small increase in scale may be acceptable to some buildings subject to the acceptability of massing studies. This, however, does not apply to buildings bordering the site curtilage. A potential increase in scale, subject to the acceptability of supporting massing studies.
The Police station that once held err...police officers will be replaced by a phone dangling from a wall that will enable the public to call the police providing they drive to Hawthorn Street to do so?
Isn't this something like a mobile phone except it's attached to a wall and may be answered by a lady in Vietnam working from home?
Clearly Wilmslow residents have been screaming out for a Zero Carbon police station which will no doubt be reflected in the public consultation.
Unless of course the new building that will appear after the land is sold has more carbon than than a nuclear reactor?