Plan for Chesterfield police headquarters and custody suite explores former factory site

Land at Goytside Road, Boythorpe, is on the radar of the Derbyshire force as it weighs up whether to relocate its northern HQ to a new development

A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: “The current Chesterfield headquarters site is reaching the end of its useable lifespan and, as such, the force is exploring its options, including refurbishment of the existing buildings and the potential to build a new custody block and divisional HQ.”

Under a detailed pre-application submitted to Chesterfield Borough Council, the scheme shows the headquarters would be accommodated in a three-storey block and there would be 50 cells in a separate two-storey building.

Two approaches are currently being considered, according to a document on the council website. This includes a hybrid planning application, which will seek full planning permission for a custody suite and outline planning permission for a divisional headquarters and associated buildings, with associated works and parking, or a full application for a custody suite and for a divisional headquarters and associated buildings, with associated works and parking.

The spokesman for Derbyshire Police added: "The documents seen on the Chesterfield Borough Council website are part of the force’s feasibility study into a potential site for the new buildings. This is only pre-application advice and no decisions have been made on any site.”

Nine buildings including cycle store, external storage and bin store, are shown in the submission to the council. The purposes of four buildings are not revealed at this stage for security reasons.

There would be 417 staff parking spaces including nine for disabled employees, 28 large van spaces and 28 visitor spaces including five for disabled people. Vehicle access provision would be from existing locations on Goytside Road and from Boythorpe Rise into the lower level of the site.

Formerly occupied by Robinson’s Boythorpe Works, the site has been cleared of all buildings but remnants of the land’s previous use remain including brick boundary walls and large expanses of hardstanding.

The force’s submission to the council requested whether an Environmental Assessment Impact screening option was required which planners decided was not.

The Derbyshire Times has asked the police spokesperson for a comment about what would happen to the existing Beetwell Street headquarters in Chesterfield town centre should the force opt for a new build and how much the development would cost.