By Adam Morris
An iconic Edinburgh police building will be transferred to its local community in a cut-price deal, 1919 has learned.
The Scottish Government has approved plans for the historic Portobello police station (pictured above) to be handed over to a well-known community organisation.
Action Porty, which has already taken ownership of other properties in the seaside community, will assume control of the 27-room Georgian B-listed structure under a community asset transfer agreement.
Neither the organisation nor the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) would disclose the final price, but it is understood to be in the region of £400,000.
It was never placed on the open market by cash-strapped Police Scotland, despite its prime location in the capital.
And while plans are at an early stage, it is likely some of the building will be set aside for use by local police officers.
Action Porty, which was the first group in Scotland to successfully use community right-to-buy legislation when it acquired a nearby church, will now turn its attention to grants and planning matters.
It described the former police station as “a significant and much-loved feature of our high street”.
“Action Porty is very appreciative of Police Scotland’s role in assisting with and progressing our asset transfer request,” a spokesperson for the group said.
“We are progressing a project to bring new use and life to the building.
“We are continuing to progress with detailed plans to bring the building into community ownership, to devise approaches to restoration and re-use, and to ensure the building continues to serve the rapidly growing community of Portobello and the north-east of Edinburgh.”
While impressive in stature, like many buildings within the police estate it was proving cumbersome to operate and expensive to run.
“We are progressing a project to bring new use and life to the building”
Action Porty
The force estimates it will save more than £40,000 a year in running costs alone.
Across the country other buildings are being disposed of as bosses look to create a leaner, modernised estate that they say will be more suited to 21st century policing.
However, the mass sell-off has been criticised by communities who say police presence is reducing as a result, emboldening criminals and causing fear among the public.
The current maintenance backlog is estimated to be around £230 million and will take 30 years to clear.
The SPA approved the transfer of the building in a meeting held in private, but the final report was obtained by 1919 through a freedom of information request.
The report said the move was in line with the force’s obligations under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act, having been declared surplus to requirements in 2024.
It added: “Opportunity for Police Scotland to utilise some of the facilities as a means of enhancing community engagement in the area and allowing officers some respite and welfare space have been highlighted, and the prospect has been initially welcomed by the local division.”
The application said the larger rooms will be used to host a community café and event spaces, while local artists will be invited to occupy smaller rooms.
Nearby businesses could benefit from an “incubation space”, and areas to the rear will facilitate a “bike library”. It is also possible a separate area could provide short-term lets for artists visiting Edinburgh.
The report also quoted a local commander’s support for the proposal.
They said: “Action Porty’s proposal demonstrates co-ordinated thinking and identifies the prospect of working with partners.
“Portobello has experienced high volumes of anti-social behaviour with young people, and this proposal should contribute to providing opportunities to encourage engagement across demographics in the community.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “We are pleased to have approved the community asset transfer of the former Portobello police station to Action Porty.
“We welcome the development of Police Scotland’s estate masterplan which sets out their plans to modernise the policing estate to better meet the needs of the future.
“Police Scotland continues to dispose of properties which are no longer required for operational policing.”