Only five years after it opened its new Ipswich town centre station in Museum Street, Suffolk Police is preparing to close it and move into the Princes Street Fire Station.

Ipswich Star: Suffolk Police is set to move into the Princes Street Fire Station in Ipswich. Picture: PAUL GEATERSuffolk Police is set to move into the Princes Street Fire Station in Ipswich. Picture: PAUL GEATER (Image: Archant)

The 1980s-built fire station will be given a £3.9m makeover to turn it into a centre for two blue-light services, and will have a public enquiry office for the people to make contact with the police.

The government has pledged financial support for the scheme - and details are to be shown off at a public exhibition at Ipswich Town Hall on Wednesday between 10am and 3pm.

Proposals and information about the project, which has significant financial support with grant funding from the Home Office, will be unveiled at the exhibition and representatives from both the Fire and Police services will be on hand to discuss the proposals.

Tim Passmore, Suffolk's Police Crime Commissioner said: "Working together is absolutely key to meet the financial challenges that we face.

"I am very pleased with the existing shared stations across the county; it saves money and improves the joint working of these two-key blue-light services.

"The public's view on this initiative is crucially important and I look forward to meeting with the local communities and the public in general to hear their views."

Richard Rout, Public Protection cabinet member at the county council said: "Our partnership to share property with public sector partners has grown into a great success.

"We already have 12 shared stations with the Police and joint arrangement are working well. Our plans to develop and improve Princes Street Fire station will help us provide staff with modern facilities and allow us to work closely with other emergency services in a cost-effective way."

The proposed design includes:

An office for the local Policing team which other officers can use as a drop-in facility.

Interview rooms for Police.

Police locker and kit bag area.

Public enquiry office and reception area for Police.

A phone for out-of-hours calls.

Car Parking for operational Police vehicles.

Visitor parking.

Fire Service office accommodation.

Joint training rooms

Improved shared amenity space.

And shared toilet and showers.