Staffordshire Police HQ sale delayed again

Two previous attempts to sell the base have fallen through at the last minute and a decision on its future will now be left to the new Police and Crime Commissioner in November.

Staffordshire Chief Constable Mike Cunningham exclusively told the Express & Star that "other options" for the future of the site, valued at between £5million and £10m, were now being explored.

But he revealed that it was unlikely that the force would retain the base and utilise it in some other way.

"The position is, we thought on a couple of occasions that we had buyers but we have not been able to secure someone to buy that land off us.

"What's happening now is we're looking to have other options set out for us from our estates people and probably when the Police and Crime Commissioner takes up his or her post, there will be a discussion as to which of those options will be best for us," he said.

"I think it is unlikely to be retained in any way. I think we'll be looking to recoup some capital revenue on the sale of that land when the timing and option is best for us and the taxpayers of Staffordshire."

The sale of the former headquarters fell through earlier this month after the prospective buyer pulled out, citing "commercial reasons".

It was the second time negotiations had faltered at the last minute. Bosses had hoped to dispose of the old Baswich House base at Weeping Cross, in May but the deal was hit by delays. Had the recent sale gone through, demolition work would have been the buyer's responsibility.

Some buildings, including the 160-year-old Baswich House, have already been bulldozed, because they were deemed unsafe. Taylor Wimpey has already been awarded a contract to build up to 180 homes on part of the same site.

The Staffordshire force has been based at new £16million headquarters in Weston Road since February 2010. It had occupied the 16-acre site at the junction of Cannock Road and Weeping Cross since the 1950s.

By Crime Correspondent Shaun Jepson