‘Relocating police station will add to security concerns’

Moving Cambridge’s police station to the outskirts of the city will further the decline in visible policing and add to residents’ fear of crime, critics of the scheme have claimed.

Police and crime commissioner Jason Ablewhite is pushing ahead with his plans to close Parkside police station, which is valued at about £35m, and create a new base away from the city centre. He announced on Monday that an option agreement had been signed with the Ely Diocese for land on the outskirts of the city. While the exact location has not been given, Mr Ablewhite said the force would carry out exploratory work and ground surveys on a site to test its suitability.

He added that Parkside, which was built in 1967, is no longer in the best place for the city’s police station because of congestion, while the building’s layout does not meet modern policing requirements.

“This project will allow us to build a new station which better meets the operational needs of the constabulary,” he said. “I have sought assurance from the chief constable that community policing and a public contact point will remain in the city centre.”

However, the city’s Labour MP and councillors are not convinced the plans will benefit Cambridge.

Daniel Zeichner MP said: “I know from communications I receive from constituents that police presence is a real concern in the city, so I am going to need assurances that this will not result in a further decline of visible policing in Cambridge.

“City residents are become increasingly concerned about security in the city centre – any changes must not do anything to add to these insecurities.”

Lewis Herbert, Cambridge City Council leader, said: “Given its challenges, Cambridge needs 24-hour policing and an end to year after year cuts to neighbourhood policing.”

Cllr Anna Smith, city councillor for communities and policing, added: “Cambridge needs clear guarantees that we will keep a strong police presence in a dedicated and publicly-accessible city centre station, which is able to respond at least 16 hours a day. We also need to know that there will be a city-based vehicle hub so that the police can respond as quickly as possible to serious incidents in the city.”

Mr Ablewhite stressed that a public consultation will be held before any planning application is made.