Bedfordshire Police Custody Facility

Framework: SCAPE Construction Framework

Client: Bedfordshire Police

Completed: January 2022

Project Value: £19m

Sector:: Blue Light

“This is an amazing investment for the force and a positive change for Bedfordshire Police. New technology and innovative design will help us give the maximum care and support for those visiting custody, as we continue to improve the service we give. As well as the new custody suite, the new working space for officers and staff will create an innovative and cohesive way of working. The building will benefit the force for many years to come and marks a key piece of history for the force."

Garry Forsyth

Chief Constable

When Bedfordshire Police needed their new custody facility delivered before planning permission for their temporary custody unit expired, SCAPE appointed Willmott Dixon to deliver a brand-new facility in addition to a new headquarters building.

Willmott Dixon’s use of offsite modern methods of construction and its CODE solution, offering a flexible range of pre-designed options for custody suites, delivered a state-of-the-art facility for Bedfordshire Police. It included a new headquarters that enabled investigation teams to operate under one roof to improve information sharing in a quality work environment.

Through close collaboration and early involvement, the new facility was delivered on time with significant time and cost savings, despite the challenges of Covid-19 restrictions. The project was procured through the SCAPE Construction Framework and was delivered by Willmott Dixon.

The use of Willmott Dixon’s CODE standardised design service and its kit of compliant, pre-designed parts reduced the overall programme while providing reassurance that it complied with the Home Office Police Custody Design Guide, which was updated twice during the build.

Delivering the new 22-cell custody unit was crucial for Bedfordshire Police, as planning permission for the current temporary custody facility was expiring. Originally intended for a two-year period, the temporary structure had been in use for seven years.

Ensuring that emergency services were not disrupted was a top priority during construction, as the site remained operational throughout the build. Vehicles were regularly dispatched for emergency call-outs, and members of the public frequently visited the station. Therefore, it was essential that the construction work did not interfere with the safe and efficient functioning of the police site.

The new custody suite and offices needed to be delivered without disrupting live police operations. It was critical to maintain power to buildings, including the police radio network that coordinated emergency communications to all officers on duty. Working closely with the National Grid energy providers, Willmott Dixon connected the new custody suite and offices without disrupting power to the existing buildings. Scheduling included intricate planning for the most complex activity, lifting pre-cast concrete custody cell structural walls and ceilings into place.

Potential disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic and the Suez Canal crisis was mitigated through strict control measures to protect the team and project timelines, supported by early supply chain involvement and materials sourcing.

Willmott Dixon also considered the key challenges facing police officers in the daily management of custody suites by conducting interviews throughout the country, which informed core elements of the design, from the custody charge desk through to interview room sound-proofing and odour control.

The new 22-cell custody suite and headquarters building was delivered on time, within budget, and achieved a defect-free handover.

Using CODE’s flexible pre-designed kits of parts, Willmott Dixon ensured compliance with Home Office standards and delivered cost certainty, speed of construction and proven quality, achieving a 10/10 rating for customer understanding, service experience and value for money.

Cells were made from pre-cast concrete walls and roof slabs, which took just two weeks to install compared to three months using traditional methods; the pre-designed elements used by CODE reduced overall project timescales by six months, which provided certainty that the building would be handed over before planning permission for the existing temporary custody structure expired, while ensuring compliance with the Police Custody Design Guide.

The new charge desk is the beating heart of the custody operation as a control hub for every life safety system, access control, CCTV and data system connections. Willmott Dixon ensured it was fit-for-purpose by commissioning a replica of the approved design in MDF to obtain officers’ feedback, which ensured all dimensions and orientations were correct before the desk was constructed and installed.

Social Value Initiatives

During construction, biodiversity was protected through collaboration with wildlife experts, while a wealth of social value initiatives supported the community. These included renovations of respite facilities for children, providing assistance packs for those affected by domestic abuse, refurbishing confiscated bikes for an anti-reoffending charity, hosting educational activities for local schools and colleges, and creating jobs for local people.

“Our new custody building delivers a modern facility for processing offenders and provides much-needed space for our Public Protection Unit and the work they do investigating volume crimes like burglaries, as well as serious sexual violence. I want to thank all those involved in delivering this vital project on time and on budget.”

Festus Akinbusoye,

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner

98%

Waste diverted from landfill

£5.8m

Total social return on investment

Weeks programme duration