THE £13.4 million redevelopment of a city centre police station could begin as early as next summer after new designs were submitted.

Plans for a major overhaul of the five-storey Brighton Police Station in John Street to extend its life for a further 30 years have been submitted.

It is expected the project could take almost two years to complete if permission is granted to allow work to start next June.

Full public access will be maintained throughout works either via the existing front counter or a temporary facility elsewhere on site.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said that the work was necessary because the current mix of Victorian and 1960s buildings was “no longer fit for purpose”, had high running costs and failed to support modern policing requirements or the public’s needs for accessibility.

The refurbishment includes plans for a new glazed main entrance and a rear extension with new toilet facilities while a temporary building will be built on the current car deck.

New windows will be installed following health and safety concerns of panels becoming detached from the building in high winds.

The new plans vastly improve disabled access to the building which currently has a number of lifts which do not meet legal requirements for wheelchair access and disabled toilets which are difficult to get to.

Designers hope to provide a clearer public entrance by replacing an existing entrance which is hidden and of very poor quality located in the middle of the building.

Katy Bourne added: “The refurbishment of John Street is part of a wider strategy designed to modernise and improve the Sussex Police estate by saving on running and maintenance costs.

“We will be investing £20 million over the next five years and offsetting that with capital receipts with an additional saving of £3 million each year from running and maintenance costs.”