Wrexham’s new town centre police station to open this month

It’s all change for the town’s policing team this month as it prepares to move into its modern new station.

Since January 2019 the Wrexham-based local policing and front of counter services have been based at Crown Buildings on Bodhyfryd.

The temporary move to the council offices came as a result of the closure of the town’s police tower – which closed its doors for the final time on January 15th after more than 40 years.

Services at the town centre station had been winding down towards the end of 2018, with the eastern command divisional headquarters now based at the multi-million pound station

But at the end of the month the town’s policing team will relocate to a modern and fit for purpose base just over the road at the former Oriel Wrecsam in the library.

Dubbed ‘Crexit’ (Crown Buildings Exit), we’re told that officers will be leaving as planned at the end of the month and into their new station at the end of May.

Speaking to Wrexham.com earlier this week, Inspector Vic Powell, said: “We will have full patrol and neighbourhood function there along with a front desk operation facility and interview suites.

“The only thing there won’t be is a custody suite, which is now based in Llay.”

The move from the police tower to the former gallery had been on the cards for several years, with plans first mooted way back in 2014. Just 12 months earlier in 2013 it was revealed the main police headquarters for north east Wales was to relocate from the town to Llay.

At the time Wrexham.com reported that the former gallery has been made available to North Wales Police on a 10-year leasing arrangement with Wrexham County Borough Council.

Plans for the redevelopment of the site were passed after a third attempt in February 2016, with councillors previously deferring the application twice due to concerns over the loss of disabled parking on Rhosddu Road.

For the past two years work on the new ‘front of house facility’ has been ongoing, with press release issued at the time stating that works on the site had been expected to be complete by last summer.

Insp Powell added: “I would like to thank our partners and Wrexham Council for helping and supporting us between moves.

“The team are ready to move into their new home and carry on with business as usual.”

It’s set to be all change on the Bodhyfryd site in the coming months, with the police station set to be demolished in the near future.

Last year it was announced that supermarket chain Lidl was looking to build a brand new store and a drive thru on the site.

It was later confirmed that the company had exchanged contracts with the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, with a planning application for the potential development submitted shortly afterwards.

The application is expected to go before councillors in the next few months.

You can view our video from the final day of the Wrexham Police Tower below: