New police station officially opens in Tidworth

The Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Troughton, has opened a new civic centre and police station in Tidworth – a joint venture between the town council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Several guests, including Pradeep Bhardwaj, the High Sheriff of Wiltshire; Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Whitelegge, the Commander of Tidworth Garrison and a number of local Mayors, councillors from surrounding towns and villages, police officers and members of the Tidworth community, witnessed the unveiling of a plaque by the Lord Lieutenant to declare the building officially open. 

Work on the £7.3M project began in April 2022, when Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, and then Mayor, Mark Connolly, cut the turf to mark the start of the project.

The new police station boasts several interview rooms, a large briefing room, a parade room, and individual offices. 

The civic centre has a coffee shop, reception area, and several bookable rooms for community groups, functions, and events. In the previous community centre, there was only one bookable room.

As part of the joint funding model, Tidworth Town Council committed £5.3M, with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner contributing £2M.

The Lord Lieutenant praised the partnership and the management of the project, pointing out that it had come in under budget.

Mr Wilkinson said the provision of the new station is a key part of his Police and Crime Plan: “When I first came into post, it was evident there was a gap where there needed to be cover for the east side of Wiltshire.

“This building not only provides that, but it also has the room to provide a base for our specialist teams, should they need it.

“The building as a whole is a great asset for the community, and through working with Tidworth Town Council, we have been able to combine our resources and give the public real value for money.

“It offers the police, the council and the local community what they need and allows us to better coordinate our activities with the military community in the town.”

Carole Webbe, the Mayor of Tidworth, was equally impressed with the partnership: “It would have been a much more difficult project to complete without the partnership of the PCC, and we’re thrilled to have the police next door in a facility which serves the whole community.

“Having Wiltshire Police in an adjoining building reassures the public and creates a greater sense of security in Tidworth as a whole.”

The station is the new home for the Amesbury Neighbourhood Policing Team and Deputy Chief Constable Craig Dibdin is impressed with the building: “The new station is a modern facility, which puts us in the heart of the community with a strong policing presence.

“As a model, this is a real opportunity to highlight the good work of our Neighbourhood Policing Team and underline our commitment to providing increased engagement and visibility to the residents of Wiltshire.”