POLICE Scotland has announced that 29 stations are at risk of closure as the force seeks to plug a funding gap.
Deputy chief constable Malcolm Graham said parts of the large and ageing estate were “no longer fit for purpose” and that 14 of the stations did not have public access.
Officers and staff at those stations are set to be moved to other stations while 16 other locations which are either vacant or unused will also be under review.
"The locations of many inherited buildings no longer meet the requirements of local communities and in some cases the organisation is currently maintaining multiple buildings in the same area,” he said.
"Some of the buildings are just a few miles apart, others are used by only a handful of police officers or staff and have no public access."
The stations currently at risk of closure are:
Edinburgh and Fife
- Balerno
- Fettes
- Leith
- West End
- Portobello
- Oakley
Glasgow and West
- Castlemilk
- Saracen
- Bishopbriggs
- Milngavie
- Stewart Street
- Gorbals
- Baillieston
- Pacific Quay
- Paisley
- Ferguslie Park
- Greenock
- Dumbarton
- Alexandria
- Ayr
Tayside
- Dundee Annexe
- Ryehill
- Hilltown
Highlands and North East
- Muir of Ord
- Mastrick
- Rosemount
- Seaton
- Whinhill
- Torry
Graham added that the majority of staff being relocated would not have to move more than four miles from their current workplace.
"Our presence in communities is not defined by buildings but by the officers and staff who work there," he said.
"We have already introduced technology that enables our officers to remain in local areas, reducing the need for them to return to police stations to deal with paperwork."
It comes after new chief constable Jo Farrell said the force the would need an extra £128 million in the upcoming budget to restart recruitment and cover a recent 7% pay award.
She told a Scottish Police Authority board meeting that without the funding officer numbers could drop by as much as 1500.
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