North Yorkshire Police has confirmed that a refurbishment of Ripon’s shared police and fire station is underway.
The £1.2m project has been in the works for several years after the force sold off Ripon’s police station in 2014.
Officers have used facilities at the fire station since 2018 but the site on Stonebridgegate has been deemed not-fit-for-purpose by North Yorkshire Police.
In Summer 2021, former Conservative Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner Philip Allott unveiled a major refurbishment for the building.
A report was prepared for councillors yesterday that said the works had now been approved and represents “the best value for money” for Ripon residents.
The works will include repurposing the ground floor for the police to interact with the public, changing the first floor to create better meeting spaces for the fire service and improving the windows and lighting of the building.
Additional facilities costing £90,000 will also be created in Ripon’s Town Hall on Market Place to improve the police’s presence in the city centre.
Councillors in Harrogate met last night and heard from North Yorkshire Police chief inspector Richard Ogden about the project.
Construction work is estimated to take around 15 weeks.
Ch Insp Ogden said: “It’s something that has been long-overdue. I’m really pleased we have a way forward. We’re not only going to have investment for the fire service but we’re going to have a footprint for our neighbourhood team in the city centre. It’s really exciting for Ripon.”
The police said there will be slight disruption during construction but work will be phased to reduce its impact.
In a press statement released after the meeting, Conservative Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe said: “The facilities in Ripon are out of date and not suitable for our modern and inclusive workforce.
“This redevelopment is long overdue. As commissioner, I have listened to the community and staff, and want to create a safe environment for the fire and police services to work from and is fit for the future.
“I am also delighted that part of this investment enables us to put our local policing team right into the heart of the city in the Town Hall, being accessible and visible, helping people to be safe and feel safe and contributing towards economic growth.”
Anti-social behaviour in Ripon
Last week, police in Ripon urged residents to report instances of anti-social behaviour following reports in the Aismunderby Road and Ambrose Road areas and the area around the Jack Laugher Leisure Centre and nearby skate park.
Ch Insp Ogden told councillors last night that spikes in anti-social behaviour “comes and goes” in Ripon but that officers have worked to target offenders in the city. He said:
“There was considerable anti-social behaviour problems in Ripon 18 months ago. The neighbourhood team did a lot of proactive work and we dealt with a number of individuals and things seem to be in a good position.”
[tptn_list limit=3 daily=1 hour_range=1]