The change in the police presence in Marlborough from sizeable police station to ‘touchdown point’ is now expected to come into operation by early summer 2019.
A planning application is currently being processed by Wiltshire Council to change the use of The Corner House in the George Lane Car Park to a “Police Touchdown Point (Sui Generis)”. The building is owned by Wiltshire Council and will be leased to Wiltshire Police via the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) office.
The application says the building was previously used as a ‘ children’s Nursery’ – overlooking the fact that it was Marlborough’s Sure Start Centre which was closed by Wiltshire Council on 30 June 2016. It is also worth remembering that Marlborough Town Council had asked Wiltshire Council to pass ownership of The Corner House to them under the Community Asset Transfer scheme. Wiltshire Council refused.
The Touchdown Point will include a digital interview facility, a part-time public front counter service and welfare provision (i.e. toilets, kitchen and rest area)…” It will also take permanent – or ‘dedicated’ – occupation of three of the nearby car park spaces. Presumably those directly in front of the building.
There will also be a POLICE sign (900mm x 530mm) on the front of the building, but this is not shown on the application plans.
Marlborough Town Council’s Planning Committee have already said they have no objections to the planning application. Wiltshire Council’s decision on the change of use application is due on 26 December 2018.
The specialist officers who work in the station are being transferred to Swindon’s Gablecross Police Station. So when will Marlborough’s touchdown point come into operation?
A spokesman for Police and Crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson, told marlborough.news: “Assuming that change of use consent is approved by Wiltshire Council in mid January, and that the lease is concluded four weeks after that, our expectation is that we would be starting alteration works in mid March 2019 and would hope to be operating from the Corner House by the end of May.”
There is as yet no news on how the future of the existing Police Station in George Lane – which will then become redundant and is owned by the PCC – will be decided.
Its future has already been the subject of some controversy and will be highly significant in light the town’s developing Neighbourhood Plan. It is quite surprising that the town council have yet to hear what plans the PCC has for this substantial building so close to the heart of the town.
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