PLANS to move police in Selby into a shared building with the council were approved by planners on Thursday.

The cells at Selby Police Station have been closed for some time, and plans were put forward last year for North Yorkshire Police and Selby District Council to share the civic centre in Doncaster Road.

The centre will be redeveloped and parking facilities increased.

Paul Kennedy, Assistant Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, described the move as “a win-win situation”, as the county and district councils are already based at the site, which also houses the New Selby War Memorial Hospital.

He said: “It means we can run our buildings more economically, which benefits both taxpayers and North Yorkshire Police, and we’re also closer to the partner organisations that we work with every day.

“All this means we can focus our investments in people, not property, ensuring we can deliver a really high standard of policing for communities across Selby district.”

Cllr Mark Crane, council leader, said: “We already share the Civic Centre site with the health service and colleagues from North Yorkshire County Council, and welcoming the police offers us additional benefits including closer working opportunities.”

York Press:

The move is predicted to save public money and the new police station will be significantly cheaper to run than the existing building, on Portholme Road.

Julia Mulligan, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, said: “Sharing a front counter with the council, and having the local policing team working more closely with their council colleagues, will only improve the service we can offer residents and businesses of Selby and the wider district.”

Construction is expected to start within months, and the new station should be open this year.