This entrance to the former Salford Central Police Headquarters looks out onto the public square which it shares with the former Central Fire Station.  Designed by the architectural practice of Bradshaw, Gass & Hope this brick and Portland stone building was opened in 1957.  Following amalgamation of forces within Greater Manchester in 1974 it continued to operate as the GMP Salford Division Headquarters until its closure.  When the images on this page were taken in May of 2013, the building was still vacant and boarded up.  Images posted on an internet site, by people who broke into the building in 2011, showed the inside to be in a poor state but with many of its original features still in place.

An article in the Manchester Evening News dated November 21, 2011 and entitled "Salford Crescent police station saved from demolition" reported that, "A 1950s Salford landmark has been saved from demolition at the 11th hour because of its historic frontage. Salford council wanted to knock down the former police headquarters as part of its masterplan for The Crescent. It had begun negotiations to sell the site to Salford University for an ‘ambitious’ development as part of the transformation of its Peel campus. Officers had been due to apply to the government for funding last week. But two days before the deadline, the council’s deputy leader David Lancaster stepped in and blocked the move. He wants the frontage of the 1950s building, which is in a conservation area, to be preserved. The council and university have now gone back to the drawing board. Coun Lancaster said: “I am keen to do all I can to preserve the facade of this building and I will be meeting with the University of Salford to see if we could work with them to preserve this. The building itself is not suitable for renovation, but I would like to see a new building make use of the frontage to preserve the history of The Crescent."

Since then little has changed.  In 2012 the Council via Urban Vision issued a request for proposals to develop the site.  The document began with the statement, "An Exciting Opportunity - Former Police Station, Crescent Salford M5 4NL - Expressions of Interest Invited".  It went on to explain, " A high profile building on a substantial site of 6,480 sq m (1.6 acres). The imposing former Police Station, fronts onto Crescent opposite Salford University and overlooks historic Albion Place, within 1 mile of Manchester City Centre. This landmark property represents an exciting opportunity to make a significant contribution to the continued renaissance of Central Salford." They added that, " When considering their proposals, interested parties should be aware that the vendor, Salford City Council, has a clear preference for a high quality and imaginative scheme that, if possible, retains the former police station, or as much of that building as is feasible. Major elements of the existing facades, in particular, those fronting onto Crescent and Albion Place, are considered to be of particular merit. The property would suit a range of potential uses, subject to planning consent."

The image below from the Greater Manchester Flickr Photostream, shown with the permission of GMP, shows Salford City Police officers proudly displaying their Hillman Minx patrol cars in the rear yard of their headquarters building in central Salford around 1960.

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