Three East Lothian police stations to close after being declared unfit for modern policing

Police Scotland has confirmed that Prestonpans, Dunbar and North Berwick stations will shut following a public consultation.

The changes are part of the force's Estates Masterplan, a comprehensive and prioritised 10-year programme focused on building improvements, refurbishments and disposals to create a modern fit for purpose estate that better fits communities and the workforce.

Prestonpans, North Berwick and Dunbar stations were constructed before 1950, designed to meet the needs of policing at that time. According to Police Scotland, they “no longer meet the demands or requirements of modern policing and are not sufficiently flexible to adapt for how policing may be delivered in the future”.

Prestonpans police station has been unused since early 2023, with local community officers operating from Tranent. North Berwick and Dunbar stations are staffed by a small number of officers and staff and public attendance at the sites is low.

In a statement, Chief Inspector Ben Leathes said: “Disposing of a building does not mean there will be a withdrawal of service from the area. This decision will not impact local policing services in East Lothian. Our officers will continue to respond to incidents and support the local areas as they do now. We will maintain a visible presence and provide a high quality service to the communities we serve.

“We recognise that the visibility of our officers is important to the community, which is why we have been setting up touch points in various local areas that the public are using to increase accessibility. Our officers have been available at Dunbar Garden Centre and Tesco stores in North Berwick, providing opportunities for the public to engage with them directly and ask any questions. We aim to make these sessions a regular part of local service, alongside our Coffee with Cop initiative. Details of all upcoming events will be shared across our social media platforms.

“I realise that for many the physical presence of a police station has provided reassurance and confidence over the years. However, our presence in communities is not defined by buildings but by the officers and staff who work in the area.

“Historically, having multiple stations in such a close proximity was a benefit as officers didn’t have modern technology. The need for separate physical buildings has reduced, officers are now fully mobile with investment in fleet and mobile phones, allowing them to patrol and respond effectively without relying on a physical building.

“Prestonpans and Tranent are two miles apart, and it is simply not necessary for us to maintain two buildings in such close proximity. Maintaining underused buildings is not financially sustainable and by merging resources, we can focus on delivering effective policing services rather than retaining surplus buildings.

“North Berwick and Dunbar police stations are staffed by a small number of officers and staff who will be relocated to Haddington. This move aligns with our policing plan, which has been in place for the past 10 years. Under that plan, response officers covering North Berwick and Dunbar are already based in Haddington, meaning there will be no change in how incidents are responded to or in the level of service provided to the community.”

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