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TGA Consulting Engineers LLP  were employed by Shepherd Engineering Services to design the three new dedicated custody buildings to replace all the existing custody suites within the Cheshire Police Authority. 

The three new buildings, located in Chester, Middlewich and Runcorn, were constructed in 2005 by Alfred McAlpine Special Projects Limited, with Shepherd Engineering Services installing the mechanical and electrical services installations as designed by TGA Consulting Engineers.

The new buildings incorporated holding cells for normal and vulnerable persons, interview rooms, police evidence rooms, solicitor's rooms, office facilities and vehicle docks.  All three custody suites operate totally independent of the local police facilities, with services and standby power provided fully in accordance with the Home Office Police Buildings design guide.   

The mechanical and electrical services included :

Substantial mechanical ventilation and comfort cooling installations with decontamination facilities following use of CS gas.   Stringent acoustic performance requirements were present for normal use. 

Heating and Comfort cooling installations to maintain stringent temperature requirements in custodial areas.

Vandal resistance and anti-ligature requirements for all mechanical and electrical services within custodial areas

Comprehensive security systems, including Cell Call, Panic Alarms, Door Entry Systems, CCTV, Intruder Alarms, Video Identification and Video Interviewing, along with comprehensive external lighting installations

Standby generator and UPS systems to allow the buildings to be used throughout electrical mains failure situations, with seamless transfer upon restoration of once mains power. 

All three buildings were assessed under BREEAM "bespoke" criteria, and achieved BREEAM "Excellent" ratings.  This rating was particularly difficult to achieve as the sites were all previously green fields, also the security and use of the buildings were not permitted to be compromised.

(In accordance with most custodial buildings, photographs are not permitted)

Various - Chester, Middlewich &  Runcorn