A NEW £9million Hampshire police ‘campus’ could be in full use by 2015 after a U-turn on plans to sell part of it off.

Alpha Park, below, in Chandler’s Ford, was bought four years ago as a replacement for Hampshire Constabulary’s headquarters at West Hill, Winchester, which are not considered fit-for-purpose.

But last year, parts of the new site were earmarked for a £3m sell-off as finance bosses looked at ways to save more than £50m.

Now members of Hampshire Police Authority – which controls the force’s finances – want to return to the original idea and use the whole of the site, but as an “operational police campus”.

Hampshire Police Federation chairman John Apter said the delay in deciding the fate of the land had sparked “frustration, bewilderment and anger” among officers.

He added: “What appeared to be a simple decision to buy premises and kit it out has been bounced about from department to department and delayed.

“But now a decision has been made, we welcome it. We should now get on with making the site fit-for-purpose.”

The building will house a range of departments including the vehicle workshop, Force Enquiry Centre and IT team.

Bosses say the U-turn was made in a bid to “co-locate centralised units to realise efficiencies and synergy”.

The decision was taken as part of moves to ‘rationalise’ the constabulary’s land and building stock – a process star-ted in 2008.

The estates development programme includes plans to build four new custody centres as well as a new headquarters at Winchester’s Mottisfont Court, which could be ready for 170 staff by the end of next year.

Hampshire Police Authority chairman Councillor Adrian Collett said: “The reduction in the policing budget has meant we have been giving consideration to how policing can adapt.

“This has not been an easy process, and we have spent a long time looking for the right solution.”