SURREY Police has spent more than £20m on a new headquarters.

The force revealed yesterday its new operational base will be created in Leatherhead at the former Electrical Research Association (ERA) and Cobham Industries site in Cleeve Road.

The new site will become an operational hub housing specialist teams as well as chief officers and senior leadership team, support, corporate functions and training facilities.

It will replace the existing Mount Browne headquarters and the Woking and Reigate police stations.

Further sites at Burpham and Godstone, where the roads policing team and tactical firearms units are based, will also be moved to the new location.

Neighbourhood policing teams will continue to operate from all 11 boroughs, according to the Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro.

The sale of those five sites will fund a ‘significant proportion’ of the cost of buying and developing the new Leatherhead base, says the force.

The new building should be fully operational in around four to five years’ time.

The Cleeve Road site covers around ten acres and cost £20.5m.

A statement from the PCC’s office says: “The move is part of an extensive estates project to deliver long-term savings by moving out and disposing of some of the current outdated and costly buildings.

“In their place, an efficient estate will be created that will allow the force to work in new ways and meet the challenges of modern policing.

“The new site will also benefit from being a more central location in the county in close proximity to the M25 and the town’s railway station.

“Guildford and Staines police stations will be retained.”

Mr Munro said: “This is really exciting news and heralds the start of a new chapter in the proud history of Surrey Police.

“The search for a new site has been long and complex so I am delighted we have now completed the deal and can start making detailed plans that will shape the future of policing in this county.

“The most important factor for me is we provide value for money and deliver an even better service to the public.

“We have looked carefully at the budget for the project and even taking into account the inevitable relocation costs involved, I am satisfied this investment will provide savings in the long term.”