The award-winning, new divisional headquarters building for Lancashire Constabulary opened its front counter to the public at the end of July, having been officially opened on June 26, 2019.
The three-storey facility – which sits on a 10,000 square metre site on the outskirts of Blackpool, near the M55 motorway, and designed by leading property and construction consultancy McBains – serves as the new headquarters for the police force’s West Division, and houses one of the largest custody suites in the UK.
The new facility replaces the West Division’s existing base on Bonny Street, and, courtesy of its design, will provide staff with a more efficient work environment. This has been achieved through subtle design solutions, which reduce floor space and that provide flexibility for the constabulary’s ever-changing operational requirements.
The site’s 42-cell suite exemplifies this. It is housed in a semi-circular precast concrete building and is served with an abundance of natural light. By positioning the main custody desk centrally, with the cell corridors radiating out, the suite also serves to guarantee custody officers a line of sight to each cell corridor. The custody suite, with the natural light and view of each corridor is not only designed to help officers but also improve the well-being of those being held in custody.
McBains provided architecture, mechanical, electrical, and civil and structural engineering support to the building’s main contractor, Willmott Dixon.
Mark Baseby, Director at McBains who oversaw the project, said:
“The external appearance of the building takes its cues from Blackpool and the vibrant seaside environment with the use of colour and form derived from the sea and sand. The internal central atrium space is known as the Promenade.
"The essence of the scheme is the interface of three contrasting building types and fusing them together in an efficient and flexible way. This provides an improved environment for staff and detainees, while delivering important efficiencies for the force."
The new divisional headquarters, known as West New Build, scooped the Best Public Service Building accolade at the LABC North West Building Excellence Awards 2019.
