Oldham ‘in talks’ on new police station
Oldham Council is in preliminary discussions with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) about relocating or building a new police station due to the deteriorating condition of the current Barn Street facility. The current station's custody suite is unsafe, forcing officers to transport suspects to Tameside and beyond, which consumes valuable police time. No concrete plans have been finalized yet, but local leaders emphasize the urgent need for a functional police station in Oldham.
Oldham council has opened talks with Greater Manchester Police about replacing the town’s crumbling police station, where a condemned custody suite is forcing officers to drive suspects to Tameside and beyond every time they make an arrest.
The Barn Street building, described by Chief Constable Stephen Watson in 2021 as resembling “a wee bit like the former GDR (German Democratic Republic)”, has had its upper-floor custody area sealed off for years on safety grounds. Council leader Arooj Shah confirmed that preliminary discussions on either constructing a new facility or refurbishing a town-centre site are now under way.
Coun Al-Hamdani told colleagues officers are wasting patrol hours on motorway trips after each arrest. “We have heard direct from officers about the amount of time it can take to have to travel outside the area after an arrest. People rightly want to see police out on their streets. We desperately need a police station in Oldham - the current one is well beyond its shelf life, but we need to see one which solves the problems we have, not extends them.”
No detailed plans or funding package have yet been drawn up. GMP declined to comment on the negotiations but pointed out that not every district retains its own custody suite.
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