The station opened in 1957 but closed in 2005 when Greater Manchester Police moved offices to new PFI buildings in Swinton and Pendleton.
In its day it was described in the Pevsner Architectural Guides as “proud municipal Neo-Georgian”, designed by the nationally significant architectural practice of Bradshaw Gass and Hope, who themselves were famous for their public buildings in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Inside it was set up with (at the time) state of the art accomodation for officers, along with cells and ‘the most modern information room outside Scotland Yard’.
Less well known are the secret bunkers under the station – designed to be a base for defending Salford in the event of war or civil disturbance.
Designed in red-brown brick with limestone dressings, it features pedimented windows set in
arched balconied recesses, as well as a mansard roof clad in Westmorland green slate.
It was offered up for sale by Urban Vision back in 2012 on the proviso that the council would not support student housing schemes.
Instead, hotel or leisure projects were their preferred pick.
Inside, the huge building is in a state of poor repair, having been trashed by vandals and hit by the usual fire and flood damage.
The imposing three-storey structure still has its original police cells, along with a frontage “designed in a restrained classical manner to respect its Georgian context”.
An Urban Vision report from 2008 noted: “The building has strong monumental qualities that enhance the civic character of Albion Place and articulate the relationship between Albion Place and the larger University Square.
“A scheme for reuse will need to preserve and enhance these townscape relationships and restore the original quality of detailing to the building.”
A final decision will be announced on Tuesday 7 April at Salford City Council’s Regeneration Briefing.
Image: By Manchester History
