Defence Online

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the Metropolitan Police Service have (Monday 26 March) announced a £412m investment to create a new counter-terrorism and organised crime hub in the capital.The major new investment includes the £250m purchase of the Empress State Building in Hammersmith and Fulham, and a significant upgrade project to make the building and associated sites fully secure and fit for purpose.For the first time, it will bring together the Met’s counter-terrorism command and specialist crime and operations under one roof, in line with other cities like Manchester and Birmingham.The move to focus on a single site, and dispose of other buildings, will also save on rent, freeing up more money to support front line policing.London’s new counter-terrorism hub will streamline operations and capabilities, and ensure more effective and efficient working to keep the capital as safe as possible.Until now, a significant proportion of the Empress State Building has been leased by the Met Police and used for a range of purposes including back office and operational functions. In addition to the benefits for London’s counter-terrorism provision, the purchase of the freehold offers better value for money than the alternative options that include signing another 15 year lease.