FOUNDATIONS are about to be laid for a new police station on the site of the old Army & Navy store in Lewisham High Street.

Due to be completed in August 2003, the first stage of construction will start on November 26.

It will house 600 staff and will have the capacity for 700.

It will take over from the old station in Ladywell Road, Ladywell and house at least 200 officers from the serious crime unit, replacing three incident rooms in south east London.

The state-of-the-art building will contain stables for 36 horses, 34 cells, a training gymnasium, identification suites, an organised crime unit and a multi-storey car park.

The rooms will have flexible walls so sizes can be adapted when needs change.

It is being built by subsidiary Equion in a Private Funding Initiative (PFI) which will also see it running the desk staff jobs over a 25-year period.

Managing director of Equion Richard Weston said: "We are delighted to have secured a second contract working with the Metropolitan Police. Equion is now the UK's leading provider of PFI facilities for the police, across the country."

Lewisham West MP Bridget Prentice said: "We have been waiting for this since 1993.

"The old Army & Navy site has been an eyesore for too long. As well as providing much-needed facilities, the new building will improve the look of Lewisham.

"Anything which helps build better facilities for our community is welcomed."

Metropolitan Police Authority senior information officer Michael Upton said: "The PFI has been chosen because it is the most financially viable for the job of running new police stations and freeing-up police time."

Lewisham borough commander Mike Humphreys said: "This will be wonderful for both customers and staff and I am sure the relationship between the two will directly improve as a result."

November 20, 2001 13:10

John Higginson