Commissioner Snowden joined Chief Constable Sacha Hatchett, Supt Derry Crorken and others to mark progress on the site, on Carr Road in Nelson, which will replace the dated stations in Colne and Nelson and futureproofing police infrastructure in the area to provide officers with the necessary resources to keep the community safe.
Willmott Dixon have been chosen to deliver the site, which will be operational within the next two years and will host policing teams including response and neighbourhood policing teams, investigations, targeting teams and more. There will also be a front counter, maintaining the service for Pendle as part of the PCCs commitment that every borough will have a police station open to the public.
The project has faced delays, particularly due to Covid, however, work on site is progressing, to futureproof police infrastructure in the area to provide officers with the necessary resources to keep the community safe. The new facility will have strong road links to the rest of the borough and will be equipped with the latest technology to help officers carry out their duties more efficiently.
The development, managed and delivered by the Constabulary Estates team, will deliver a fantastic state of the art base futureproofing policing in the area for years to come.
Andrew Snowden, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said:
“When I got elected I was determined to invest in fit for purpose police stations across the county, to make sure policing stays rooted in the communities it serves. I made it a priority to get this long-delayed project back on the agenda and I am proud to be breaking the ground as work starts, securing a state-of-the-art base that will support the fight against crime in Pendle for years to come.
“The modern site will help tackle crime and protect the public across the Pendle, and also reflects our ongoing commitment to providing officers with the facilities they need to do their jobs effectively, whilst ensuring the policing estate is fit for purpose to best deliver my Fighting Crime Plan priorities.
“The new facility is part of a wider investment in policing infrastructure across the Lancashire region. This latest development will ensure that the Pendle district is well-equipped to deal with the challenges of modern policing and will provide a vital resource for local officers in the years to come.”
Supt Derry Crorken from Lancashire Constabulary’s East Division, said: “This is a milestone moment for policing in Pendle – one which we feel will ultimately help us to provide a better quality of service to the public.
“Once complete, the new building will see a massive improvement to our working environment, providing vital support to officers and staff who deliver frontline services to keep the area safe.”
Willmott Dixon Director Michael Poole-Sutherland said: “We are really proud to be able to play our part in ensuring Lancashire officers have the crucial facilities and the very best support to keep the people of Pendle safe.
“We are focused on leaving a lasting legacy beyond bricks and mortar and that’s why we will be supporting the Lancashire economy by using local businesses and creating local employment opportunities whenever possible during construction.”
Andrew Stephenson MP said:
“I welcome this multi-million pound investment into Pendle. As Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden has shown a real commitment to Pendle and investing in police stations across the county. This new station will give local police officers the modern state-of-the-art facilities they deserve.”