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Police investigate waterfront for new HQ to replace Fettes



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Published Date: 08 May 2008
By ALAN McEWEN
LOTHIAN and Borders Police have put forward proposals to build a new force HQ in the massive Leith docks development.
The purpose-built base would be created on the 350-acre waterfront site, where 12,000 homes are set to be built along with offices and shops.

The force cited the docklands as "an attractive location" for the ongoing plans to relocate its current F
ettes headquarters, branded "not fit for purpose".

The plans also suggest the opening of a new "civic building" in the development where officers patrolling Leith could be stationed.

The huge residential and commercial regeneration at the docklands will see 35,000 people move into the area, as well as workers.

Due to neighbouring developments in Granton and Western Harbour, the force estimates an additional 80 officers and 45 support staff would be needed to police the Leith beat.

Property giants Forth Ports, which is behind the docklands scheme, said it would be "happy" to meet with police to discuss their requirements.

Last year, the force had to shelve plans for a £94 million super-HQ due to a lack of funds.

Two undisclosed sites on the edge of Edinburgh had been identified, but former chief constable Paddy Tomkins was forced to mothball the plans on the "grounds of affordability".

The Fettes building is unable to cope with staff numbers and the changing needs of the force.

It was built in 1973 to house just 450 staff, but now more than 900 personnel are crammed into the building.

Councillor Iain Whyte, convener of the police board, said: "Obviously this is an early stage, but these things have to be looked at as early as possible if the building is to go up in time.

"With the large number of houses proposed for Leith, it makes sense to have a police presence there to provide a good service for that community."

A spokesman for Edinburgh Waterfront said: "We've had no detailed discussions with Lothian and Borders Police at this stage, but local amenities such as policing, education, etc, are integral to any vibrant, economically thriving community and we'll be happy to speak to the force."





The full article contains 366 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 08 May 2008 11:17 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

alex paterson,

At the moment in Sevilla 08/05/2008 12:17:43
What will happen to Fettes,maybe a five star hotel as they are badly needed in the Capital.
2

Mallory,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 12:35:46
No Alex - a mixed development of luxury flats, offices, coffee bars, licensed premises etc and possibly a new Masonic Hall..
3

Loki - The Scourge of the Schemies,

EH1 08/05/2008 12:40:49
A Waterfront location would certainly bring the police force closer to the crooks.
4

Mallory,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 12:42:55
Surely not Loki - all those respectable civil servants and media types.
5

Epicuras,

08/05/2008 12:43:25
If they're going to have a new headquarters; could they build in dry cleaners, takeaways and banks - would save a hell of a lot of police time/petrol etc
6

The Hallucinist,

08/05/2008 12:43:50
Do they need a head quarters. What about a table in McDonalds or a wee coffee/dougnut shop.
7

,

08/05/2008 12:47:35
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
8

Grumpy,

08/05/2008 12:47:37
Since L&B covers all the way from the Forth to, well, Langholm, would it not make more sense to have the HQ nearer the people they are supposed to serve and where property would be cheaper? Stratiton was good enough for the call centre, so what's wrong with building HQ in Macmerry, Dalkeith, Kirkliston, Penicuik - i.e. in the LOTHIANS and BORDERS and not The City of Edinburgh.

And just what "purpose built" is there is an office block for people that simply sit behind a desk all day? The real cops work on the streets and out of glory holes such as Portobello and Lauder.

Or are they just worried that Edinburgh Council might take away their free parking in a couple of years?
9

Bob 2,

08/05/2008 12:49:37
Yip No4, Loki's correct

Why do they need a fancy HQ in Leith, they could have had in Livingston or Dalkieth

and saved a few bob and got a few bobbies on the beat with the change.

No6 Or some of the local Halls that No2 mentions!
10

Hibernia,

08/05/2008 13:08:11
I wonder if they will get the lads that painted the Policebox pink in to decorate a new building for them?
11

Peedie Paws,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 13:16:57
#9 Livingston is getting a new police station and court built. It's replacing the old station near the Almondvale Centre. Only problem is, they haven't accounted for parking and the new building doesn't have any space for police patrol cars! Well done West Lothian Council for such brilliant planning!
12

Farky,

08/05/2008 13:19:43
Current HQ not fit for purpose? What absolute nonsense!
Surely an extension to the present building could be built if more space is genuinely required

This is why public services are so bad, too much money being wasted on grand projects. Would a new and sexy glass HQ on the waterfront improve policing???

13

Boy Wonder,

08/05/2008 13:24:16
The Government, the Polis ... who's next to move into the Waterfront Development?

And which one will go first when all the ice melts and the seas rise by 100 feet and drowns everyone working in Leith??

Or don't they believe in "global warming" either? :D
14

Jane Plane,

08/05/2008 13:28:16
#9 - Who mentioned 'fancy' HQ ? (apart from you). All that is reported is a building that is 'fit for purpose'. And why should anyone doing any job not have the correct amount of space to do that job ? If it were a prison or a school we would be shouting for the new building but it seems the support is not there because its for the police. Pathetic.
15

,

08/05/2008 13:30:09
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
16

The Hallucinist,

08/05/2008 13:36:16
#15 You're a copper.

The police don't need an HQ. They spend most of their time in takeaways and wasting time.

They also pick on easy targets i.e. people who might a get a wee bit excitable on a night oot. The police go for walks through nice respectable areas at 9am in the morning, but you would never see them in Pilton at 1am on a Saturday.

They pick on easy targets to meet the monthly conviction stats!!
17

Franck,

On the Shore 08/05/2008 13:38:49
Hate to disillusion you all but nearly nothing will hapen to Fettes as the land is owned by Fettes COLLEGE and not Lothian and Borders Police. Hence the reason why they cannot build extensions to the offices that are already there.

They can't even put up a portacabin for more than a set period of time. This land will no doubt stay integral to the School before bolstering the coffers in some other way in the future.


Grumpy.

THis is the force headquarters that serves the force as well as specialist operations in Edinburgh. These services are provided in the Lothian already at the divisional headquarters in Dalkeith, Livingston and Hawick. So no need really for the force HQ there.

The edinburgh division HQ is St Leonards but to be frank it was to small before it was built. A New HQ would really need a large sells complex built in to take over from St Leonards much Like Grampian have in their respective HQ

18

GGTTH#1,

08/05/2008 13:40:39
They currently have the land all the way from crewe road to fettes avenue dont they? Yet the majority of this land is taken up by a tennis court a football/rugby pitch and a massive field that you occasionally see the odd police dog running about in?

Why cant they just build an extra building where it is?
19

Annoyingboi,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 13:59:02
Well lets be honest, there aint gonna be any people living down there as they can't sell the flats! Therefore they need to shove something down there - I suppose the Polis are about as good as any.

Mind you, the whole area will be under water before long anyway so I doubt it really matters!
20

,

08/05/2008 14:14:16
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
21

The Man With No Clue,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 14:18:50
17

You wouldnt catch me in Pilton at 1am either. Or 1pm for that matter.
22

Jane Plane,

08/05/2008 14:28:24
#17

You're wrong - on all counts really......
23

,

08/05/2008 14:35:39
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
24

The Hallucinist,

08/05/2008 15:00:36
#23 No I'm not

Your answer is rubbish and clearly you are clueless. So you must be the polis
25

Jane Plane,

08/05/2008 15:09:04
#25

I don't have time to argue with you as I'm off to start my backshift. Now, where did I put my tazer......
26

Loki - The Scourge of the Schemies,

EH1 08/05/2008 15:13:57
#4 Mallory
Surely not Loki - all those respectable civil servants and media types.

It is my experience that, if civil servants were not civil servants and footballers not footballers, they would most likely be in prison.
27

Loki - The Scourge of the Schemies,

EH1 08/05/2008 15:20:32
#14 FatBloke:
the boss can land his chopper ??

I have met the CC and he is a well built gentleman. But surely not as big as you suggest? ;-)
28

alex paterson,

At the moment in Sevilla 08/05/2008 16:04:37
Cmon Mario open your wallet and join us jet setters,stuck in Auld Reekie misery guts.
29

Peter - very disappointed/concerned,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 16:55:47
"Last year, the force had to shelve plans for a £94 million super-HQ due to a lack of funds."

So what will be the cost of building a new HQ at The Waterfront (the article doesn't say). Will it cost more or less, anyway the Income Tax/Council Tax payers will just have to pay for it?

Councillor Iain Whyte, convener of the police board, said: "With the large number of houses proposed for Leith, it makes sense to have a police presence there to provide a good service for that community."

With the police HQ on thier doorsteps they must be guaranteed a good service, but what about the rest of Edinburgh, will some police stations be closed in order to meet the cost of this 'development'?


30

Gorgie_Tony,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 17:14:06
Another waste of money - the Chief Constable needs a good shake and told that the public they serve ain't getting the service they deserve (unless you are the CC's wife and happen to get your purse stolen). Spend the money on forcing lazy idle officers out of their offices and actually doing a decent days work.
31

gus1940,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 17:40:04
Return to 450 HQ staff, put the surplus 450 or their replacements on the beat and stay in the present building.
32

dig dig,

08/05/2008 17:41:15
If they need a new HQ there is a empty police box down at Niddrie and just been decorated in the forces colour of pink.
33

Teofilio Cubillas,

08/05/2008 18:06:47
31 "Another waste of money - the Chief Constable needs a good shake and told that the public they serve ain't getting the service they deserve"

Going by your tedious rants, it would appear you're geting exactly the service you deserve.
34

keithface,

lawless leith 08/05/2008 18:43:36
this is about land value, nothing else. Fettes land will be sold off to make way for luxury (insert something) for private interests, maybe a health complex & hotel. police should also be given a police-tram that goes up Leith walk, so that they're always on the beat - criminals can jump on and hand themselves in - these trams will make Edinburgh the all-roads-accessible-envy of Europe.
35

,

08/05/2008 18:56:22
Comment Removed By Administrator
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36

,

08/05/2008 18:56:47
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
37

James (1),

08/05/2008 19:13:25
900 staff and from this number how many are 24/7 shift workers? You will find the answer to this is not many. How many are 9-5 workers and you will find the answer is most of them.
Want to see a trick? Do you want to see hundreds of cars disappear? Then the day before a public holiday drive past Fettes. Come back the next day and they are all gone! Magic, all these 24/7 emergency officers must be told to leave their cars at home on a public holiday. Its that or there are not so many operational officers working from that building.

So lets hope this new HQ can get the council to continue to provide free parking or the majority of support staff might end up having to get the bus or tram to work. Can you imagine what that would be like to be treated like a "normal" member of the public.

Strathclyde police recently kicked out officers back onto the beat as too many were hidden away not really "doing" productive police work.
L&B police should follow this example.
38

dig dig,

08/05/2008 23:13:53
What a load of thin skinned Edinburgh punters I think billy's spot on I've met him twice what a down to earth funny guy he is and he has give so much pleasure to so many over all the years I thank you Billy
39

Jim Baxter RIP,

Sai Kung, Hong Kong 09/05/2008 00:44:48
900 officers at Police HQ. That says it all. 900 penpushers but how many officers are on the streets.
Its the same out here. The Police here have a fabulous HQ on the waterfront and believe it or not 7000 (yes 7 thousand) are employed inside this complex of buildings. A small army ; meanwhile fewer officers are on the streets. Although this is a very safe city; it could be even better.
40

Mr H 2u,

Embra 09/05/2008 09:15:54
"It was built in 1973 to house just 450 staff, but now more than 900 personnel are crammed into the building."

Solution! Get the bandits out patrolling the streets instead of sitting around Fettes surfing p*rn.

 

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