Lancashire Constabulary and its Police and Crime Commissioner recently celebrated the official opening of its new headquarters in Blackpool.
Property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard provided project management, quantity surveying and NEC supervisor services for the 87,500 sq ft scheme.
Jon Parry, Regional Director at Pick Everard, said: “This significant public sector building now provides a fit-for-purpose new base for local policing and immediate response teams.”
It houses the divisional community policing services, from neighbourhood policing teams to immediate response officers, and comprises: a public enquiry desk, investigations hub and a 42-cell custody suite.
Pick Everard worked in partnership with contractor Willmott Dixon — which was appointed by Lancashire Constabulary under Scape Group’s national Major Works framework — and the scheme’s architects, McBains. This close collaboration enabled the team to complete the specialist building to the exact requirements stipulated by the police force.
The three-storey building — which was named the Best Public Service Building at the LABC North West Building Excellence awards — represents the force’s largest ever investment and replaces the county’s previous police station.
Jon continued: “We’ve been responsible for project delivery from start to finish, navigating a challenging brief as the demands made of the police are ever-evolving.
“Changes to the building were needed between initial brief and starting on site, so this required an adaptable approach to design, construction and project management and close collaboration between ourselves, delivery partners and the client.
“In-depth knowledge of the build programme, a flexible approach and on-going testing as the project progressed also meant we were able to catch any snags and make necessary changes efficiently during the build process.
“The new headquarters has met the BREEAM ‘very good’ standard. The requirements of the new building are specialist and varied. As such, the designs also had to be adaptable, with flexible workspaces created to increase the building’s longevity.”
Cristina Marshall, Head of Estates, Fleet and Facilities Management at Lancashire Constabulary, said: “Our West Division headquarters is an iconic building, which underpins policing services for the area. It is a clear example of investment in policing for Lancashire and investment in our local community.
“The project team clearly demonstrated strong collaborative working during the planning, construction and commissioning of this site, producing an exceptional result. We are delighted with the result and proud of all the hard work that was undertaken.”
