Construction has officially begun on the new City justice and policing hub.
The City of London Corporation, the Ministry of Justice and the City of London Police celebrated breaking ground on a 45,785 sqm civic scheme to boost the justice system’s work to crack down on fraud.
Funded and delivered by the City Corporation, the Salisbury Square Development on Fleet Street will house the City of London Law Courts and a state-of-the art headquarters for the City of London Police.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Brandon Lewis, unveiled the foundation stones for the development, designed by Eric Parry Architects, which is due to be completed in 2026.
With 18 courtrooms, the City of London Law Courts will combine magistrates, civil and crown courts in one flagship facility. The courts will harness new technology and modern ways of working to try economic crime cases.
As the lead force investigating cyber and economic crime nationally, the new headquarters will equip the City of London Police with the tools needed to face the challenges of twenty first century policing.
Home to 2,500 jobs – 400 of which will be newly created – the scheme will generate an estimated £51 million in productivity benefits per year.
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Policy Chairman at the City of London Corporation, Chris Hayward, said: “Fraud is now the most common crime in the UK, costing the economy billions every year and causing misery for businesses and individuals.
“By strengthening our capability to crack down on economic crime, we will enhance the City’s reputation as a world-leading location to do business and keep consumers across the UK safe from fraud.
“The Salisbury Square Development will play a vital role in ensuring we can adapt to the changing demands of policing and delivering justice, supporting the UK economy and helping attract international business.”
The new buildings will have a design life of 125 years – more than double that of a standard commercial development.
The development will target a BREEAM sustainability rating of “Excellent” and over 99 percent of materials from the previous buildings have been reclaimed to be reused and recycled.
Lewis said: “The City of London Law Courts represent a vision of how justice will work in future – with modern, innovative and flexible courts in fit for purpose buildings.
“The Salisbury Square Development symbolises our place as one of the leading centres for business, law and justice as we ensure that the UK remains attractive to global business and investment.”
Chairman of the Capital Buildings Committee at the City of London Corporation, Sir Michael Snyder, said: “We are celebrating a significant milestone towards the completion of an important civic development for the Square Mile.
“The City’s position as a world-leading legal centre with effective law enforcement plays a major role in helping the UK attract international business.”
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