FLATS PLANNED AS COP SHOP IS SOLD OFF
Former police station goes for £1.25 million
MOTHBALLED Hanley Police Station has been sold in a £1.25 million deal.
Abode Student has bought the Bethesda Street site which had been on the market for a number of years.
It comes after Staffordshire Police closed Hanley Police Station and moved into Hanley Fire Station on the opposite side of Potteries Way. A number of police officers have also been stationed in the nearby Smithfield complex.
Hanley Police Station was built in 1965 and latterly cost £387,000-a-year to run. It had been expected to sell for at least £900,000.
The building was closed to the public in December 2017 when the inquiry office moved to Smithfield. It was labelled too expensive to operate, too inefficient, and too large by police bosses.
Staffordshire’s Police,
Fire and Rescue and Crime Commissioner Ben Adams has completed the deal after the site was put up for sale by his Tory predecessor Matthew Ellis.
Mr Adams, above, said: “In these increasingly challenging times, it makes good financial sense for our police and fire and rescue services to share buildings – especially when they are located just a short walk away from each other, as they were in Hanley.
“Using public money efficiently is a priority for me. These savings mean we can keep investing in our front-line emergency services while keeping council tax low.”
Uk-based Abode Student has been delivering bespoke student accommodation since 2014. A planning application has yet to be submitted for the site which
is opposite Stoke-on-trent Crown Court and next to the City Central Library. Abode Group chief executive Ashley Ladson said: “We are delighted to add the former Hanley Police Station to our portfolio. Our developments are of the highest quality and situated in the best locations, providing a premium experience for thousands of local and international students. Hanley is the next stage in that journey.”