Oldham ‘in talks’ on new police station

A ‘desperately needed’ new police station in Oldham could be built.

The council is in discussion with GMP about relocating from the current site on Barn Street, which is ‘falling apart’. For several years, officers have been unable to use the custody suite on the upper levels for safety reasons. 

Suspects are being transported all the way to Tameside and further afield to book arrests, which is taking up police time. 

Council leader Arooj Shah said: “We’ve begun preliminary conversations with Greater Manchester Police about potential sites for a new police station in Oldham. For a long time now both the Council and local MPs been campaigning for GMP to address the issues that not having a custody suite brings.

“After conversations with Jim McMahon MP and the Chief Constable, I’ve received personal assurances from the Chief Constable that we can work in partnership to correct this.”

It’s not yet clear whether the move would involve building a whole new station, or renovating an existing building in the town centre. 
Information said to have been shared with Coun Sam Al-Hamdani has left the Liberal Democrats concerned the new plans won’t include holding cells.

Coun Al-Hamdani said: “We have heard direct from officers about the amount of time it can take to have to travel outside the area after an arrest. 
“People rightly want to see police out on their streets. We desperately need a police station in Oldham – the current one is well beyond its shelf life, but we need to see one which solves the problems we have, not extends them.” 

Coun Shah emphasised that no plans have been drawn up yet.

She added: “One of the reasons we’re having these conversations with GMP is to deal with the issues they currently have regarding the lack of a custody suite in Oldham.” 

Oldham MP Jim McMahon has previously described the police station’s state as ‘beyond its sell-by date’, with GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson adding in 2021 that the building was ‘a wee bit like the former GDR (German Democratic Republic)’. 

GMP declined to comment but noted that not every district has its own custody suite.