Ceremony Marks Milestone for Merseyside Police OCC

The topping out ceremony held on 27 March saw the last concrete pour go into the top level of the main structure at Estuary Business Park in Speke, marking the end of a significant period of the construction.  The Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Jane Kennedy and Chief Constable, Andy Cooke, visited the site to observe the ceremony.

The £48m police centre, designed by Ryder Architecture, will enable all the teams comprising Merseyside Police’s Matrix and Serious and Organised Crime unit (MSOC) to be brought together under one roof.

The new centre will house more than 1,200 officers and support staff from across all departments and there will be a separate, single storey building which will provide specialist, support services along with further smaller buildings which include dog kennels, fuel station and a gatehouse which will control access to the 11.4-acre site.

Architectural director Jonny Seebacher said, “Ryder are delighted to play such a major part in this project, which is integral to the Merseyside Police estate rationalisation.  The building will provide a step change in operationally efficiency for the force and will be exemplar building within their portfolio.”

The buildings have been designed to meet the latest standards in energy efficiency, including LED light throughout and solar panel roofing and assessed by city council planners as, “Well designed to be interesting architecturally and to preserve and enhance its ecological value in a landscaped setting”.