WORK on a new police station and custody suite on the outskirts of Llanelli is due to get under way this summer, Dyfed-Powys Police has said.

Planning permission for the building has been granted by Carmarthenshire Council, and construction company Willmott Dixon has been awarded the contract by the police force to build it.

It will take shape on land west of Heol Aur, Dafen, and is expected to cost £12 million to £15 million.

The curved building will have 18 cells, interview rooms, virtual courts, offices, 135 parking spaces and 20 bike spaces.

It will be open 24/7, employ around 180 staff, and replace custody suites in Llanelli and Ammanford.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokeswoman said: “The work is due to start during the summer of 2021 and should be complete during the autumn of 2022.”

The force bought the Dafen site from the Welsh Government. It currently has police stations on Waunlanyrafon, Llanelli, and Lon Ceiriog, Llwynhendy.

Speaking last year, Dyfed-Powys Police’s lead on the project, chief inspector Richard Hopkin, said: “This (new) build will not replace the existing presence of our neighbourhood team in Llanelli town centre, but will enhance the service across the town and the wider communities.”

The new police station and custody suite was described last year by Dyfed-Powys police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn as major investment “which will see an ambitious, modern, sustainable, fit-for-purpose policing hub and custody suite that will meet the needs and expectations of modern policing”.

  • Voters will choose the next Dyfed-Powys police and crime commissioner on May 6. The four candidates are Jon Burns (Welsh Conservatives), Dafydd Llywelyn (Plaid Cymru), Tomos Preston (Liberal Democrats) and Philippa Thompson (Labour and Co-Operative Party).