More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Work to upgrade a police station is set to commence next week as part of a multi-million pound plan to restore the prominent building.
It comes after serious safety concerns were raised about the structure in Tufton Street, Ashford, after lumps of concrete fell from the six-storey building in 2015.
Preparation work started this week and the project is set to commence on Tuesday.
As part of the first phase of the improvement scheme, the existing concrete ramp and balcony will be demolished.
The ramp has already been cordoned off and a temporary entrance has opened in Church Road.
It is expected to be completed by October 2020.
Problems were first reported in 2006, when lumps of concrete began to fall from the outside of the building, leaving steel reinforcements exposed.
In January 2015, scaffolders put up a protective fan around the building, and chartered surveyors from Collier Stevens were called in to review the options.
Last year, Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott announced the plan to upgrade the station, which will be paid for from Kent Police’s capital reserves.
