In a response to several Official Information Act requests from the Otago Daily Times, police deputy chief executive corporate operations Ruth Currie said the goal of the renovations was to replace or upgrade the current building’s aged services and infrastructure.
The internal floors of the station would be renovated along with the front canopy area, with the goal of providing a more welcoming front entrance to the station, she said.
The goal of modernising the station’s interior was to provide more agile workspaces as the station was built in 1992, and the fit-out, services and infrastructure were now outdated, Ms Currie said.
"The redevelopment will improve the wellbeing of police staff by providing a positive, comfortable, welcoming environment for staff, the public and our partners," Ms Currie said.
The redeveloped station would be a modern, open-plan and highly functional workplace, she said.
A proposed design has been completed, the refit is expected to be tendered early this year, and construction is expected to last 18 months.
Staff and other stakeholders were involved throughout the design process and Aukaha consultancy was engaged on behalf of mana whenua.
Ms Currie declined to release half a dozen documents relating to the renovations, including the business case and design report, citing commercial sensitivity.
A breakdown of the costs of the project were declined for the same reason.
Allowances for inflation had been made in plans for the project, Ms Currie said.
