Estate change project
Estate change engagement period
Police Scotland undertook a period of consultation. This with local communities, partners and staff regarding the future of some of our police estate.
View the Estate Strategy.
Why we are doing this
After the creation of Police Scotland we inherited a large estate. This was based on legacy arrangements.
It had developed over a significant period of time when demands on policing were very different from current and future demands.
As Policing 2026 has demonstrated, the demands on policing and the public expectation of policing in Scotland has evolved over time. This will continue to evolve.
This includes how the public contact us and engage with us. There will be 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. This is in line with the objectives of our Estate Strategy and the objectives of Policing 2026.
It will ensure our estate is fit for purpose, can support service delivery and provide best value.
This review involved Local Policing Commanders. They 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. They can be considered for disposal.
43 of them are not used to permanently base Police Officers or Police Staff. They 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. These staff can be relocated to other permanent facilities while still maintaining service delivery.
The vast majority of premises are empty. The proposed changes will not impact on service delivery. They will not result in any changes to how local resources are deployed.
Maintaining empty premises has associated running costs, This does not provide best value or help achieve financial sustainability.
Police Scotland has 375 premises located across Scotland. The 53 premises identified as surplus make up 14% of the estate.
The remaining 322 locations have been assessed as being required in some fashion. This is 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 consulted with local communities, partners and stakeholders. This was about the potential disposal of some of our police premises.
The consultation was held between 1 November 2017 and 31 January 2018.
We wanted to capture the thoughts and opinions of our staff, partners and those in our communities before any decisions were made.
An online consultation survey was launched. It gave the public a chance to learn more about the premises being considered for disposal. They had their say on the future of these premises.
Our Local Policing Teams met with different community groups and partner to provide more information on the premises identified for disposal in their local areas. They encouraged participation in the consultation.
More information can be found on the Consultation page.
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 identified for disposal, please email: PolicePremisesPublicConsultation@scotland.pnn.police.uk.
