Axed Hagley Police station sold off to become a nursery

Hagley Police Station closed in April 2014 as West Mercia Police tries to find £30 million of savings by 2020.

The premises has now been bought for £580,000, although West Mercia Police had to fork out £262,500 to pay Lord Cobham and the Hagley Hall Estate to allow for the sale to go ahead.

The land where the police station stands was gifted to the force by Lord Cobham a number of years ago with the condition that it remained a police station.

Planning permission has now been granted to revamp the site off Kidderminster Road.

Nursery chain Cottontails, which is based in Birmingham, will be converting the police station ready for youngsters.

There will be a first floor extension on the sides of the building and at the front to create more space including for an office and staff room.

A two storey extension will be built at the rear with outdoor play areas also created. A school room will be created on the first floor.

Community campaigner Peter Rowbottom today hit out at the payment made by the police to Lord Cobham, revealed in a Freedom of Information request.

"This means that only 55 per cent of the sale value has been released by the police themselves, which means there is less public funding for police to protect local people from crime," he said.

"As Viscount Cobham is Patron of Hagley Community Association, who are responsible for the current community centre, and Hagley Parish Council have as part of their strategic plan a proposal for a new community centre which has been backed by many villagers, I would personally like to see at least some of this £262,500 donated towards this project, which would benefit the entire community of Hagley."

West Mercia Police's head of estate services, Clive Phillips, said: "Plans to reduce spending and make more efficient and effective use of resources have been widely publicised and these include the disposal of a number of properties across the force area, including Hagley Police Station which was unoccupied.

"The payment was made in order to release the value of the property, as it was a condition of the sale of the land to pay the covenant.

"We are content that we received value from this sale."

Lord Cobham, who does work in the charity community including an events for the Scouts last month, added: "It is a perfectly normal business transaction undertaken from the estate's advisors."