Market Drayton’s new police station opens
Market Drayton’s brand new police station has officially opened to the public.
The station, built on the same site as its predecessor on Salisbury Road is now fully operational and open to the public. Meanwhile, demolition work has started on the old station.
The new station is designed to be as energy efficient as possible, reducing both the force's carbon footprint and energy bills. West Mercia Police is also keen to offer improved facilities for the public and staff, and felt the best way to do this was with a new purpose-built station.
The old 1930s station remained open throughout the construction work, which started in August 2010, but has now been closed and everything transferred to the new site.
Chief Inspector Martin Whitelegg, based at Shrewsbury, said: "I'm pleased to say the station has opened on time and will provide a fantastic new facility for the people of Market Drayton as well as our officers and staff. The front counter is up-to-date and truly accessible to all members of the community, something the old station never achieved.
"West Mercia Police is keen to show its commitment to the most efficient use of public money and renewable energy: the station is packed with energy- and money-saving features. Some of the land from the site will also be sold to pay for some of the construction costs."
The designers have worked with the local planning authority to develop a contemporary design that is sensitive to both the surrounding area and the environment and is on course to receive an ‘excellent' rating under BRE's environmental assessment method.
The station has been built with sustainable materials, solar panels and a ‘green roof' made of plants.
Michelle Williams of consultants Associated Architects said: "The building has brickwork and timber facades and large north-facing windows. It is designed to receive large amounts of natural light, dramatically reducing the energy demand from artificial lighting.
"Parts of the roof construction incorporate a new terracotta block system which is designed to regulate the temperature within the main spaces. It allows the roof to be constructed from timber, which is a more sustainable alternative to other structural materials and helps regulate temperatures inside the building.
"The green roof to the pitched side assists water retention for plant growth, allowing the building to facilitate an increase in plant species on the site, whilst acting as thermal insulation for the roof. The pitched roof also provides a good angle for positioning solar hot water- and electricity-generating photovoltaic panels, which contribute to the sustainable operation of the building."
Demolition of the old station is now underway and will take a few months as all useful materials are reclaimed to be reused or sold on
