The Future of Policing in Stone - Part 3

For obvious reasons, there was very little discussion at last Thursday's meeting about the fate of the existing police station building after the police have moved out. Normal logic would suggest the site would be sold to the highest bidder and the purchaser would then look to redevelop the site.

However, the police station only occupies a small part of the total site. At the back are outbuildings and a car park with access onto Station Road. And, of course, the adjacent public car park off Northesk Street is also owned by the police authority and leased to the Town Council. Interestingly, I also believe that Staffordshire County Council Highways also own the paddock alongside the car park. So, if you put all the pieces together what have you got? Answer - the opportunity to complete Stone's one way system! Take a look at my rough sketch plan. By demolishing the station, there would be a perfect route for a short stretch new road to connect the top of Margaret Street to the top of Christchurch Way.

This would enable the one way system to use a short length of Newcastle Street past the Joules bottling plant before turning right into Margaret Street and then around by the new road. And the bonus would be that, apart from similar access arrangement as exist in the High Street as at present, the whole of Granville Square and the bottom parts of Radford Street and Station Road could be pedestrianised.

This proposed system would remove traffic from Granville Square and thereby relieve congestion on Crown Street. And there would be plenty of room to create a dedicated bus stop on the new stretch of road.

When it was first mooted a year ago that the police station might close, I wrote to the Chief Executive of Staffordshire County Council but sadly received neither acknowledgement nor reply. So I am reproducing a copy of that letter now because I think the contents are even more relevant now.

I understand that many years ago a similar scheme was talked about but fell through because it would have involved compulsory purchase of too many properties around the junction of Northesk Street. This new opportunity would involve very little disruption to other property owners and be a massive bonus for the top end of town.