A NEW Police Investigation Centre has moved a step closer after Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet gave the go-ahead to a lease agreement.

As previously reported in The Gazette, Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes’ office has submitted a planning application to build a new two and three-storey Police Investigation Centre (PIC), a single-storey custody building and a two-storey van dock in Jays Close, Viables.

And the borough council’s Cabinet has now publicly supported the scheme by agreeing to lease council-owned land needed for the new PIC after Hampshire Constabulary approached the borough council.

The multi-million pound investigation centre, which will cover Basingstoke, Winchester, Andover, Alton, Aldershot and Farnborough, will include 36 custody cells and a public facing lost and found property desk.

It is hoped the new base, which was chosen to be built in Basingstoke due to its “excellent road networks”, will allow frontline police officers to resume and patrol their local communities quicker after taking people to be kept in custody to the centre.

The centre will accommodate 350 members of staff on a shift basis. However, only 210 members of staff are expected to be there at any one time. The site will be operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week but most activity will take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

The site, which is located between Sony and De La Rue, is currently vacant and doesn’t generate any funds for the borough council.

In return for the borough council giving Hampshire Constabulary a 250-year lease at peppercorn rent, a one-off payment will be given to the council. The figure has not been disclosed as this is deemed to be confidential information.

Council leader Councillor Clive Sanders said: “It is a major step forward in the way policing is carried out in Hampshire and it is very important for their efficiency and I am very pleased that we have made a positive contribution by finding a way of going forward.”

If the planning application is approved by the council the building could open in spring 2016.