GAZETTE & HERALD: CORSHAM councillors have asked for assurances of a continued police presence in the town, after the Priory Street Police Station site was tagged for future redevelopment.

Following a review of the Urban Capacity Study, the station has been recommended for inclusion in the North Wiltshire Local Plan 2011, as a potential site for ten houses.

The police are also considering a further cut in station opening hours. Earlier this week, Corsham Town Council chairman Jock Fraser asked Wiltshire Police Chief Superintendent Amanda Evely for assurances the police would not leave the town altogether.

"Amanda Evely assured me that it is not the police's intention to close the station, but that the police as an authority have to look at all their sites' suitability for future development," said Coun Fraser.

"Corsham station is a prime site for redevelopment because it is close to the town centre but, while it doesn't house as many officers as it did years ago, it is still occupied by the traffic unit and is still very much a requirement.

"At the meeting of the Area 4 Committee next week, I am hoping the agenda item's wording can be changed to state that the site would only be available if the police moved to another station in the town."

Coun Fraser will give a full report of his meeting with the Chief Superintendent at the next Corsham Town Council meeting on Monday night and is also expected to recommend new community police officers for the town.

Concerns have been raised about opening hours being reduced at the station and problems with youths hanging around in the town centre.

The station currently opens from 8am6.30pm, MondaySaturday, but Amanda Evely has requested a review of opening hours to explore the possibility of redeploying staff where their presence is needed most. She said she could not sustain the current opening hours with the available resources.

Councillors met police chiefs on January 12 and pointed out that the station already covers a wide area, and that plans to increase the town, with the construction of 650 houses, would ensure a greater need to keep it open.

Coun Fraser said: "Previous suggestions of installing CCTV cameras in Corsham have been rejected because there are many listed buildings in Corsham and it was not thought to be appropriate, but I think community police officers, like those used in Chippenham, could be the way forward."

Community police officers were first installed in Pewsham in Chippenham and have now been allocated extra patrols in Redlands.

Speaking last month, North Wiltshire MP James Gray urged the public to volunteer to man Corsham Police Station themselves.

He said: "I have been approached by people who are concerned about the reduction in opening hours and I know Corsham Town Council have also expressed concerns, but if it does come to that, I would ask for 100 or so residents to pledge a couple of hours each month to keep it open."