It has ‘green’ credentials - including solar panels and rainwater harvesting - and ‘upcycled’ furniture. Rory Sheehan takes a tour of the £17 million police facility.

A NEW £17 million police HQ has opened its doors in Wrexham.

The Leader has toured North Wales Police's new eastern division headquarters and custody suite on Davy Way, Llay, before the force fully uproots from the current HQ at Bodhyfryd in Wrexham town centre.

Video and images by Craig Colville

That iconic town structure is set to close its doors for the final time at the end of the month, ahead of its demolition, with the site having been purchased by supermarket Lidl for a new drive-thru store.

Expected to be fully open on November 28 ready to accept its first customers for custody, the new police facility in Llay boasts 32 cells, new canteen facilities, and two gyms, with one of them for conducting beep fitness tests for police officers, as well as locker rooms and garages.

It has an 80 kilowatt solar array on the roof, rainwater harvesting for washing 85 police vehicles a week, smart lighting to conserve energy and sunlight shafts to ensure those in the pre-cast internal cells get natural light.

Furniture has also been 'upcycled' from other facilities and public buildings.

Many staff based at the Bodhyfryd site have already made the move to the new HQ which will serve Wrexham and Flintshire for decades to come.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones, also went on a tour of the facilities yesterday with new chief constable Carl Foulkes, and Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services Alun Davies.

Mr Jones, himself a retired town centre inspector at the Bodhyfryd building, said that facility, built in the 1970's, was not fit for modern requirements, and that the new HQ had everything needed for the challenges faced in modern policing.

He said: "The new custody facilities are an area I am very proud of.

"The old custody suite was well past its sell-by date and didn't fit the new criteria."

He added: "The general environment is much more comfortable with everyone working together, and morale and motivation will be better in a more pleasant environment."

Despite the move to Llay, Wrexham town centre will retain a strong police presence with a new town station, including a public front desk, being fitted out in the former Oriel Gallery at Wrexham Library.

This is expected to be operational in 2019.