Consultation Findings on Proposal to Replace Outdated Station

Published: 19 June 2020

More than 800 people have responded to a public consultation on proposals to replace an outdated Cambridge police station with a new hub.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary held the month-long consultation in February to gain the views of residents around the need to create the new police hub on the outskirts of Cambridge while maintaining a city centre presence with a new police station.

The consultation gave people the opportunity to provide their views on the nature of police and crime in Cambridgeshire, the challenges faced by the Constabulary, and the principle of service change.

Members of the public were invited to fill out an online survey, attend one of four public drop in sessions in Cambridge (two), Ely and Huntingdon and learn about the proposals through social media and a dedicated website.

More than 3,000 flyers were also distributed in town and city centres and more than 18,000 people were contacted about the proposals by email.

More than 70 per cent of respondents agree that a new police hub will help meet the accepted challenges of modern-day policing and population growth in Cambridgeshire.

The majority of responses agree that the existing facilities cannot fully respond to these changing circumstances, and that a new police hub would allow us to respond more effectively.

There is overwhelming support for the retention of a police station in Cambridge city centre including a public enquiry point and base for the neighbourhood policing team which we’re committed to providing.

The Constabulary is now working on proposals for the preferred site for the hub, and is identifying suitable locations for the new city centre station.

We look forward to working with the community and stakeholders to ensure that the outcome of this service change works for the Constabulary and its staff and, importantly, for the people it is proud to serve.

Following a thorough and long-term analysis of sites that are available, a final phase of public consultation on proposals for the new hub is due to begin in July in conjunction with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. The consultation will include details on the preferred site in Milton ahead of a planning application in the Autumn.

The consultation report and Constabulary’s response are available to view.