Police purchase new headquarters (From Daily Echo)

Hampshire Constabulary purchase new HQ in Winchester

10:41am Tuesday 20th November 2012 in Winchester

HAMPSHIRE police has finalised negotiations to buy a new headquarters.

The force will move next year from its present Winchester base in West Hill to Mottisfont Court, also in the city.

It bought the property from Hampshire County Council for £1.5m.

The West Hill site, in Romsey Road, will be sold for development.

A Hampshire police statement said: “The purchase is the first significant acquisition of the force's estate development programme, which aims to provide modern and appropriate facilities to fit the current and future policing needs, while providing the best possible service to the public and achieving value for money.”

The move comes after the force bought Alpha Park in Chandler's Ford for £9.2m with a view of that being the site for their headquarters.

Last year the force backed out of that plan amid Government cutbacks, deciding to sell a £3m portion of it.

Then, in October, police bosses carried out a U-turn and decided to use of all it by 2015 as a “police operational campus”.

When the current West Hill HQ closes, 200 staff will move to Mottisfont Court which is due to be refurbished later this year. The rest will move to Alpha Park where there will be a vehicle workshop, force inquiry centre and IT team.