Southern Policing Hub Frequently Asked Questions

The Southern Policing Hub is a proposed modern, purpose-built policing facility on land off Mitre Way, Old Sarum, designed to support policing across Salisbury and south Wiltshire for the long term. It will replace the policing offer based at Bourne Hill, which is no longer fit-for-purpose and cannot be adapted to meet modern policing needs. 

Yes. In December 2025, the Police and Crime Commissioner agreed a conditional purchase of approximately six acres of land at Ford Farm, Old Sarum, subject to securing outline planning permission. This secures a suitable site for a future Southern Policing Hub and avoids the risk of losing the opportunity after more than four years of searching. 

A comprehensive review of Wiltshire Police’s operational estate, commissioned in 2021 and revisited by the Chief Constable in 2023, concluded that the current Salisbury base at Bourne Hill is no longer fit-for-purpose. The building is too small, shared with other organisations, lacks secure and modern facilities, cannot be expanded or adapted, and will become increasingly inefficient and costly over time. Without a replacement, policing capability and resilience would reduce in the future. 

Bourne Hill is a leased, shared facility with Wiltshire Council and that limits the Police and Crime Commissioner’s ability to make it fit-for-purpose now or in the future. It has insufficient space, inadequate secure parking and facilities, ongoing security and privacy limitations, and no realistic scope for expansion. Improving or extending it would be costly, disruptive, and would not resolve the building’s core limitations. 

Between 2021 and 2025, 14 potential sites were assessed across Salisbury and the surrounding area. Old Sarum was selected because it is allocated for employment use in the adopted Wiltshire Local Plan, is large enough for modern policing needs and future flexibility, has good road and public transport links, avoids sensitive residential and conservation areas, and because no suitable sites were available within Salisbury city centre. It is the only site identified that meets operational, planning and deliverability requirements. 

The hub will accommodate response and neighbourhood policing teams, a public enquiry office, operational briefing and training spaces, secure vehicle parking and facilities, evidence and specialist storage, and staff welfare, changing and wellbeing facilities. It will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as existing police facilities do. 

No. There are currently no plans to build a custody suite at Old Sarum – this is based upon current operational assessment and advice. Wiltshire Police continues to operate effectively with existing custody suites in Swindon and Melksham. However, the size of land purchase allows future flexibility should policing needs change and planning permission be granted, but there is no current proposal. 

Yes. The new hub will not reduce police presence in Salisbury. Plans include continued city centre patrols, the use of mobile police stations, and exploring additional public access options depending on demand. The hub strengthens operational support for city policing rather than replacing it. 

Wiltshire Police is committed to responsible design and operation. The site will manage traffic and vehicle movements carefully, minimise noise and disturbance, use appropriate landscaping, and clearly separate public access from operational areas. Operational practices already used successfully elsewhere, such as careful shift planning and responsible use of sirens, will continue. 

The land at Old Sarum is allocated for employment use in the Wiltshire Local Plan and is suitable for a public service facility such as a policing hub. A policing hub represents a long term, appropriate employment use that supports community safety and local resilience. 

While no decisions have been made nationally about police mergers, policing is expected to continue evolving. Old Sarum provides flexibility for future collaboration, avoids constraining Wiltshire Police with outdated buildings, and protects local policing capability whatever future structures emerge. This represents responsible long-term planning in the public interest. 

The Southern Policing Hub is a long-term investment in modern policing for Wiltshire and Swindon, delivered in a series of carefully managed phases. 

• Submission of the outline planning application is targeted for August, following ongoing public engagement 

• Land acquisition is dependent on this application being submitted and outline planning permission subsequently being granted. 

• Subject to approval: land acquisition and outline planning consent are targeted for March 2027 

This will then be followed by detailed development work, including: 

• Reserved matters planning approval 

• Building regulations approval 

• Completion of technical design 

• Contractor procurement 

• Construction is expected to begin in early 2029 

• Completion is planned for autumn 2030, with the Hub becoming fully operational by Christmas 2030 

Public engagement is a key part of this process, helping to shape the final design ahead of submission. 

The land purchase has been funded through borrowing, a standard approach for public sector infrastructure. Affordability has been assessed within Wiltshire Police’s Medium Term Financial Plan. Further financial assurance will be completed before any decision to build. 

The next steps are continued community engagement, submission of an outline planning application, and ongoing financial and design assurance. Wiltshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner are committed to transparency at every stage. 

The decision to secure land at Old Sarum is based on long-term operational need not shorter-term financial cycles. South Wiltshire requires a modern, strategically located policing base to: 

• Improve response times and visibility 

• Support neighbourhood and specialist teams 

• Provide sustainable infrastructure for future policing demands 
  Delaying this investment would increase costs later and risk operational gaps that impact public safety. 

Yes. While policing faces significant financial challenges nationally and locally, estate investment is essential to maintain service delivery. It has taken four years to get to this point to find a suitable location. If we don’t purchase this now, the site could be lost and the opportunity for a southern policing hub lost too. 

The hub will: 

• Reduce inefficiencies caused by outdated facilities 

• Enable smarter working and collaboration 

• Support transformation and savings over time 
  A rigorous financial review will ensure affordability and sustainability before construction begins. 

The abolition of the PCC role does not change the operational need for a policing hub. The project is part of Wiltshire Police’s long-term Estates Strategy and Police and Crime Plan priorities, which will continue under any governance model. Securing land now: 

• Protects the site for future development 

• Avoids losing a location that meets operational and planning requirements 

• Ensures continuity for policing in south Wiltshire regardless of governance changes 

Pausing would risk: 

• Increased land and construction costs 

• Losing the preferred site 

• Delaying improvements to frontline policing 
  The hub is a strategic investment designed to serve communities for decades, beyond any single governance structure. 

Before moving to build, the OPCC and Wiltshire Police will: 

• Conduct a full financial review and not proceed if the finances will not allow it 

• Explore phased development options 

• Ensure best value for money through competitive procurement 
  The aim is to deliver a modern, efficient hub without compromising financial sustainability. 

• Faster response times across Salisbury and rural areas 

• Greater police visibility and accessibility 

• Modern facilities supporting proactive crime prevention and community engagement 
  This hub is about delivering on public priorities: tackling crime, building trust, and keeping communities safe.