Police Oracle

PSNI had said in 2018 that the sale of the three stations would be halted as a “precautionary step” amid negotiations about the UK’s exit from the EU.

A spokesperson for the PSNI said that the stations in Castlederg and Aughnacloy in Tyrone and Warrenpoint in Down will now be recommended for “disposal”.

None of the three stations are currently in use and no PSNI officers are based there.

In a statement, Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said: “We regularly assess our resources to ensure we are equipped as well as possible to keep people safe.

“Castlederg was one of three stations which had previously been considered for disposal (Aughnacloy and Warrenpoint were the others).”

“In 2018, because of the uncertainty around EU exit, we looked at that decision and decided to pause their disposal,” he said.

“That decision has been kept under review and with the changing circumstances of EU Exit, particularly in relation to UK/Ireland border arrangements, an operational review has recommended that the disposal of Castlederg, Aughnacloy and Warrenpoint stations can now recommence."

He added the PSNI wrote to the Northern Ireland Policing Board on August 18 to update them on their decision.

Earlier this year, Derry City and Strabane District Council members voted to consult with the Northern Ireland Policing Board over the future of what it called the “dilapidated PSNI barracks” in Castlederg.

Councillors expressed concerns over the presence of the now-closed police station in a “prime town centre location”.

Last week, a row erupted after Chief Constable Simon Byrne launched the report containing 50 recommendations.

One of the main recommendations is the closure of the fortified Crossmaglen station and disposing of the site within the next five years.

The report said the base "does not provide a positive or effective policing presence”.