Approval sought for police station disposals

Police Scotland has recommended the disposal of 11 of its buildings in Tayside and Fife.

The results of a consultation on the disposal of police properties will be made to the Scottish Police Authority Board on Wednesday.

A three-month consultation closed in January after Police Scotland revealed it was considering closing 53 buildings that are “no longer required”.

Based on the results of the consultation, the SPA Board will be asked to approve 49 closures including Bridge of Earn, Longforgan, Stanley, Broughty Ferry, Police Mortuary Dundee, Muirhead, Friockheim and Letham in Tayside. Police buildings in Kincardine, Cardenden and Rosyth would also be ditched.

But the board will also be asked to extend the consultation for a further three months for four properties in the Highlands and Islands where support was not secured.

Deputy chief officer, David Page, said: “The three-month-long public consultation in relation to the 53 properties provided an opportunity for local communities, partners and stakeholders to give their opinion and feedback. There was an excellent response to the consultation, with 1,731 responses, which involved local engagement by officers within local policing divisions.

“The vast majority of the properties are empty or will soon become empty and the consultation results shows a high level of support from the public and from local communities for the disposal of these properties.

“The consultation results support the disposal of 49 of the 53 properties and the recommendation we are making is for these 49 properties to be disposed of.”