Estate Change - Engagement Period

Police Scotland is currently undertaking a period of consultation with local communities, partners and staff regarding the future of some of our police estate.

Why are you doing this?

Following the creation of Police Scotland we inherited a large estate which was based on legacy arrangements and which had developed over a significant period of time when demands on policing were very different from current and anticipated future demands.

As Policing 2026 has demonstrated, the demands on policing and the public expectation of policing in Scotland has evolved over time and will continue to evolve. This includes how the public contact us and engage with us, with a preference towards using the telephone and internet, instead of attending at a police station. Despite these changes, our estate has largely remained unchanged.

It was therefore right that we reviewed our estate, in line with the objectives of our Estate Strategy and the objectives of Policing 2026, to ensure our estate is fit for purpose, can support service delivery and provides best value. This review involved Local Policing Commanders, who are best placed to understand local demand and need in their respective divisions.

How many premises are affected?

This review identified 53 premises which we have assessed as no longer being required and can be considered for disposal. Of those identified for potential disposal:

• 43 of them are not used to permanently base Police Officers or Police Staff and are empty, some of them for a number of years.
• 10 of them are currently used as a base for Police Officers or Police Staff, however these staff can be relocated to other permanent facilities while still maintaining service delivery.

The vast majority of premises are empty and as such the proposed changes will not impact on service delivery and will not result in any changes to how local resources are deployed. Maintaining empty premises has associated running costs which does not provide best value or help achieve financial sustainability.

Police Scotland currently has 375 premises located across Scotland. The 53 premises identified as surplus account for 14% of the entire estate. The remaining 322 locations have been assessed as being required in some fashion to ensure service delivery is maintained or enhanced in some areas, for example through collaborative opportunities with partners.

How can I have my say?

We are now consulting with local communities, partners and stakeholders on the potential disposal of some of our police premises. The consultation will commence on 1 November 2017 and will end on 31 January 2018.

No decisions have been made in relation to any of the premises, we want to capture the thoughts and opinions of our staff, partners and those in our communities before any decisions are made.

An online consultation survey has been launched which gives the public the opportunity to learn more about the premises being considered for disposal and have their say on the future of these premises.

Our Local Policing Teams will also be meeting with different community groups and partner to provide more information on the premises identified for disposal in their local areas and to encourage participating in the consultation.

The survey can be accessed at https://consult.scotland.police.uk/consultation/estates

Full details of the premises being considered for disposal, a map detailing the location of all the stations and a supporting document can be found at the links below.

If you have any further questions about any of the premises that have been identified for disposal, please email: PolicePremisesPublicConsultation@scotland.pnn.police.uk