Residents in Fort Augustus are being invited to have their say on proposals that could see the village’s police station sold and replaced with a shared public sector facility.

Police Scotland has launched a public consultation on plans to dispose of the station on Fort William Road as part of a wider review of its estate across the country.

The proposal would see officers continue serving the area while operating from shared accommodation with another public sector or emergency services partner within the village.

Police Scotland says the move forms part of its ongoing estates transformation programme, which aims to ensure buildings are being used efficiently and that resources are directed towards facilities that best support operational policing.

Local Area Commander Chief Inspector Craig Still said the station has seen very little use in recent years as advances in technology have changed the way officers work.

“The Fort Augustus and south Loch Ness areas are patrolled by community beat officers PC Gibb and PC Macdonald, who are well known and highly regarded by the local community, however they do not routinely use the station.”

“Advances in technology in the last few years mean that officers don’t need to return to a police station to complete reports.

“Statements and incident information is recorded on mobile devices that are standard issue to all officers, allowing them to patrol and respond effectively without relying on a fixed location.

“The station has therefore had very limited use since 2024.”

Police Scotland says the building, which includes a vacant flat, is now significantly underused and that retaining it does not represent the best use of public funds.

“The station is a large granite building with an accompanying flat that is currently not being used.

“Retaining an underutilised station and vacant accommodation is not making best use of public resources, especially when there is a critical need for housing in the Highlands.”

Chief Inspector Still stressed that the proposal would not result in any reduction in policing services for the area.

“If our proposed disposal of Fort Augustus goes ahead, I want to reassure the public that there will be no change to our level of service or response to the community.

“The dedicated community beat officers will continue to serve the area, as they have been doing.”

Police Scotland says regular community drop in sessions using its community engagement van would also continue if the plans go ahead.

The nearest public front counter would remain at Fort William Police Station, which is open seven days a week from 7am until 10pm, subject to staffing, training and annual leave commitments.

Before any final decision is made, members of the public are being encouraged to submit their views through Police Scotland’s Engagement Hub.

The consultation will help inform whether the force proceeds with plans to dispose of the building and move to a shared facility within the community.

The public consultation was opened Monday, 15 June, 2026 and will close on Monday, 13 July, 2026.

To access the consultation log onto Estate Transformation: Local Area Consultations – Police Scotland – Citizen Space