A Wiltshire police station that looked set to close will be retained by the county force.

Calne police station is set to become the base for Wiltshire’s rural crime team and will not - as controversially announced in 2019 - be shutting its doors.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson announced at the Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel on March 9: “We are not closing the police station.

"We will be giving it a refresh and replacing some of the security systems we have there.

"It will become a permanent base for the rural crime team. We want to improve our engagement within Calne.”

A spokesperson from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner added: “Calne’s police station provides a useful location for a variety of policing services, of which one is a touchdown point for Wiltshire Police’s Rural Crime Team and for neighbourhood policing teams to base themselves from.”

Touchdown points are areas where police officers and staff can work and interact with the public.

The spokesperson explained: “The long-term use of the former station will be identified in the PCC’s new Estates Strategy, which is currently under review and expected to be completed later in 2023, but there are no current plans to dispose of the building – which has been welcomed by the local community.

“As part of ensuring the station is suitable for the dual-purpose touchdown points, some light refreshing will take place including painting and ensuring officers have the facilities they need to provide a policing service for the town, ie hot desking points, chairs, enough office equipment etc.”

In November 2019 it was announced the station would be closing alongside the one in Pewsey in January 2020 to reduce the cost of the Wiltshire Police estate - which was met with anger from Calne residents who feared a rise in crime.

Officers and staff were to set use Calne Leisure Centre and Pewsey Vale Community Campus as touchdown points instead.

But Covid forced the leisure centres and there has been a continued police presence at the two stations.

It was thought this was only going to be a temporary set up, but the announcement by the PCC show there are plans to keep the Calne station for good.

The announcement was met with much relief from the councillors attending the Police and Crime Panel on March 9.