‘This is long overdue, the new building will be a much nicer place to work’, says the chair of Cambridgeshire Police Federation, as work begins on developing a new police station in Milton.
The land, which is on the outskirts of Cambridge, will be home to a new police station and will replace the current building that is located in Parkside.
Liz Groom is optimistic that the new, fit-for-purpose building will encourage members to work in southern Cambridgeshire.
“Plans to build a new building have been going on for decades, this is long overdue and I welcome the developments,” said Liz.
“Parkside feels like a concrete building and the custody block is always needing maintenance. The layout of Parkside seems all over the place, with the lockers being right on the top floor. While the new building in Milton will be of a similar size, the layout will be much better – and there will be a kitchen for officers to use.”
At the moment, officers working at Parkside – which was originally built in the 1960s – need to pay to park, which can amount to a lot of money.
“The Milton building will be so much easier to get to to, as officers will be able to reach it just off the A14, rather than having to drive through the middle of Cambridge,” added Liz.
“Not only will there be more parking at the Milton station, the building is also next to a park-and-ride, making it so much more convenient for officers travelling to and from the building.
“And of course, working in a fit-for-purpose, fresh environment can make a huge difference. I’m hoping that the changes will encourage officers to want to work in southern Cambridgeshire.”
Work started on the new building earlier this month after the land was purchased in April 2022. The new station is due to open in late 2025.