Police Scotland has moved its Lochmaddy police station into the nearby Sheriff Court on North Uist, with the former station building now set to be sold.
The relocation follows a public consultation launched in July 2024 and brings local police officers into accommodation just over 100 metres from their previous premises.
The move forms part of Police Scotland’s wider Estates Strategy, which aims to reduce unnecessary property costs while maintaining accessible policing services across Scotland.
The former station is a substantial building containing offices, custody cells and an accompanying flat, with some of the accommodation no longer being used.
Police Scotland believes maintaining two nearby public buildings with similar facilities is an unnecessary expense, particularly when public finances are under pressure.
The decision also raises the prospect of the former building being put to a different use in a community where suitable housing and commercial accommodation can be difficult to find.
However, no future use has been announced, and the property has yet to be marketed for sale.
Local Area Commander Chief Inspector Ross McCartney said:
“The former Lochmaddy Police Station is a large building with office and cell accommodation, plus an accompanying flat that was not being used.
“Retaining a large property with vacant accommodation was not making best use of public resources, especially when there is a critical need for housing in the Highland and Islands area.
“The Sheriff Court building is just over 100 metres from the former police station and using one co-located space rather than maintaining two separate public sector buildings, each with cells, makes practical and financial sense.
“I want to reassure the public that there will be no change to our level of service or response to the local community.
“Our experienced officers based at Lochmaddy will provide a dedicated policing service for North Uist.
“Our stations across the Outer Hebrides remain at Castlebay, Daliburgh, Benbecula, Lochmaddy, Stornoway and our shared office in Tarbert, Harris.
“We are committed to providing a visible and proactive policing service to the Outer Hebrides.
“The move in Lochmaddy, along with our network of police estate and local officers reinforces our long-term commitment to the Western Isles and to continuing to deliver a high-quality service to local communities.”
For North Uist residents, the most important assurance is that the relocation will not mean losing a local policing presence or experiencing a reduction in the service available to the community.
The Sheriff Court location allows officers to remain based in Lochmaddy, avoiding the need to travel to another settlement to access their local station.
Across the Outer Hebrides, maintaining accessible public services presents particular challenges because of the distances between communities and the practical difficulties of island travel.
Police Scotland says its existing network of stations and shared accommodation will continue to support officers serving communities throughout the Western Isles.
The authority’s estate strategy is intended to make better use of public buildings while ensuring facilities remain suitable for modern policing.
The former Lochmaddy station will be placed on the property market shortly, although no asking price or sale timetable has been announced.
Its eventual sale will mark the end of the building’s use as a police station, but officers will continue serving North Uist from their new accommodation nearby.
