Northumbria police to get new headquarters

Mar 12 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

MULTI-million pound plans to redevelop the region’s police base have been given the green light, after a planning row over affordable housing was resolved.

Northumbria Police has been given the go-ahead to spend between £25m and £30m on demolition of ageing accommodation at its headquarters just outside Ponteland, and its replacement with a modern, 12,000sqm office block catering for 1,000 staff.

Police chiefs have also been given approval to build 150 new houses at the site to help pay for the redevelopment.

The proposals had been recommended for approval but only if agreement could be reached with Castle Morpeth Borough Council over how many of the homes would be classed as affordable.

Council policy requires 50% of new homes to be in this bracket because of the shortage of such accommodation in the Ponteland area.

But police said the scheme would not stack up financially if more than 20% were affordable.

Following negotiations, the sides reached agreement on 40%, and the council’s development services committee voted to approve the development.

Responding to the decision, Coun Mick Henry, chairman of the Northumbria Police Authority, said: “This is the start of an ambitious project that will help an already excellent police force deliver even better services to the people within the Northumbria area.

“Policing is a dynamic activity that changes over time and the needs of a modern force such as Northumbria are no longer met by the existing headquarters.

“These plans will lead to a new headquarters that will move us into the 21st Century.”

A total of 178 letters were sent to the council objecting to the development, based on it adding to existing traffic congestion in Ponteland.

Ponteland Parish Council had voiced similar concerns.