Town will be without cells as police station replaced

By Andy Dixon

Published: 05 September, 2008

CRIMINAL suspects caught in Nairn who need to be held in cells overnight will have to be transferred to Inverness while a new station is built in the seaside town.

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Northern Constabulary has submitted plans to Highland Council for rebuilding the 1970s station in King Street which has four cells.

It means police will be switched temporarily to a building in Courthouse Lane which has no cells.

Inspector Dave Bushell, of Nairn Police Station, said it would be a matter of managing resources well enough not to leave Nairn short of officers when some are needed to take suspects to Inverness.

He pointed out that this was already happening in certain circumstances.

"Inverness is seen as the central area for dealing with custodies because the court is in Inverness," he explained.

"We can have a prisoner van go backward and forward to Inverness if need be.

"It's an operational issue where most of the time it will be fine, but it might cause some issues if we have to take more officers into an area and we may need to bring somebody across from Inverness to help out."

More cells are being built at Inverness's Burnett Road police station to increase capacity within the Inverness Area Command from 30 cells to 42.

If plans get the go-ahead Nairn police station will be demolished and rebuilt in the same location next year with the new station having at least three cells.

All 26 police officers and six support staff will switch to offices in Courthouse Lane when building work starts.

Nairn's police station which is due to be replaced. Gary Anthony

Two weeks ago the council received plans from Northern Constabulary to make internal alterations to the building it wanted to move into — a council-owned listed building which is a former finance office.

Artists' impressions of the new station are likely to be released later this month but no completion date has been set. There are also no costings on the project available.

Nairn councillor Sandy Park (Independent) welcomed the development as part of the town centre regeneration, adding he believed the temporary building would be suitable.

It was also viewed positively by Nairn provost Liz MacDonald (SNP), who pointed out it was further investment in the town which was needed as the new station would be more fit for purpose.

Fellow Nairn councillor Graham Marsden (Lib-Dem), a member of the Northern Joint Police Board, said the police station had required upgrading for some time and viewed the moving of suspects between the town and the Inverness as the only down side.

Dick Youngson, treasurer of Nairn Suburban Community Council also believed the current station was not adequate and welcomed the development, whilst Jean Tolmie, chairwoman of Nairn River Community Council, hoped the temporary move would not affect policing in the town.

"I would be very disappointed if it affected policing of Nairn, but the station is still central to the town," she said.

"Really, on the whole, it was about the only suitable place they could go."

andrew.dixon@inverness-courier.co.uk