A NEW police station is being planned for Urmston town centre, SUM can reveal.

Proposals are being looked at by both council and police chiefs to build a new base right in the heart of the town.

And a possible site has already been earmarked as police bid to secure funding as part of a force-wide initiative.

The move will come as a boost for locals who have been without a drop-in station since 1998 when changes were made at the old site on Station Road.

It was closed to the public and this has led to numerous complaints from townsfolk who feel that they have been deprived of a public service.

But all that will change when work begins on the new station which will provide policing for the whole of the area.

A spokesman for the Greater Manchester Police Building Management Section told SUM: "The proposals for Urmston are part of the Force's Private Finance Initiative (PFI) which is aiming to provide 20 new stations across the county.

"Outline business case approval has been granted by central government but we are still waiting for full approval.

"Once we have this then we can push on to get the PFI signed and work can then get underway to provide Urmston with a new deployment station."

Council leader Cllr David Acton added: "Since the police had its accommodation review, we have been in close liaison with them and we have wanted to re-locate the police station in Urmston including ongoing discussions about a new site."

He went on: "The site that has been earmarked is the former council offices of Moorfield House that was devastated by fire several years ago.

"This is next to the existing council offices on Sumner Way and will allow police to control the whole area of Flixton, Davyhulme and Urmston from one base.

"We are keen to ensure that there is a police station in the centre of Urmston and hope that funding will be secured by the force in the near future."

Chairman of the Urmston Town Centre Partnership, Cllr Bill Clarke is delighted with the news and says it will be a massive boost for the town.

He said: "I welcome the news of a new police station as it is something that we have been pushing very hard for.

"We need to maintain a police presence in this area and that is why we fought plans two years ago to move operations to the Trafford Centre.

"This is great news for Urmston and it will be a move that is for the good of the community."

Now police are playing a waiting game with the Home Office to see if plans are approved and if it is passed then work could begin late next year.

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