New Market Drayton police station going green

Work on a new eco-friendly police station is under way in Market Drayton which it is hoped will be completed by August 2011.

Contractors moved on to the site in front of the existing police station last week to start work on a modern, environmentally-sensitive building.

The existing Market Drayton police station is situated on a large plot and is a building dating back to the 1930s. West Mercia Police is keen to offer improved facilities for the public and staff, and feels the best way to do this is with a new purpose-built station.

Tim Wilson, facilities manager for Shropshire Division, said: "The existing station will remain open throughout the work and it is very much business as usual.

"People can still visit the station as normal. There will be some minor disruption with parking, with some spaces lost in the short-term to make space for the machinery on site."

The building is designed to be as energy efficient as possible, reducing both the force's carbon footprint and energy bills. It will be built with sustainable materials, solar panels and a "green roof" made of plants.