NORTH Yorkshire Police’s headquarters at Newby Wiske Hall are set to be turned into a centre for children’s educational adventure holidays after being bought by PGL.

The company, which has 23 activity centres across the UK, France and Australia, plans to be up and running at Newby Wiske Hall by next year.

PGL provides schoolchildren with adventure holidays that can encompass anything from canoeing to high rope courses and archery.

Activities can take place onsite or as part of day trips from the activity centre.

Richard Sanders, UK operations director for PGL, said: “The plan is to open in the spring of 2018 and we have a lot of work to do to make that happen.

“When the police vacate, we will be following on swiftly.”

He added that the company is keen to keep local residents informed of its plans for the site and would also like to continue traditional community events such as the Christmas carol service.

The Northern Echo: Civilian jobs: Police HQ at Newby Wiske, near Northallerton

Police HQ at Newby Wiske

Perry Sladen, UK business director for PGL, said that the North Yorkshire area was one they had been targeting for several years and felt that Newby Wiske Hall was ideally placed to serve the county as well as Teesside, County Durham and Northumberland.

The hall would be expected to operate as an activity centre between February and November, with a small number of staff remaining onsite year-round.

North Yorkshire Police will begin moving out of Newby Wiske in June or July, marking the end of four decades of policing from the site.

Dave Jones, North Yorkshire Police Chief Constable, said that although staff had some sentimental attachments to the hall, he was pleased that the force was moving to a more suitable base.

They will take over the former Rural Payment Agency building near County Hall in Northallerton.

Mr Jones said: “The facility that is going to be provided in Northallerton is going to be fit for purpose.

“This (the hall) is a stunning site but we need more modern facilities to serve departments like digital forensics.

“The hall is a very compartmentalised building so isn’t easy for inter-departmental communications.”

Between 350 and 500 members of police staff can be working from the hall at any one time and Chief Constable Jones said that the move into Northallerton would boost the town’s economy.

He added that he was looking forward to feeling like the North Yorkshire Police force was back in the heart of the community.

Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, first pledged to move the force from the stately home in 2012 and said she ‘warmly welcomed’ PGL to the site.

She said: “We had quite a few offers on the hall and after careful consideration I have chosen a buyer who will work sympathetically with the building, have minimal impact on the environment and I believe, be a very good neighbour.”

The sum that the hall was sold for has not been disclosed.

NEARBY neighbours of Newby Wiske Hall appeared broadly supportive of its new future as an activity centre when they spoke to The Northern Echo after the news was announced.

Sally Jenkins, who has lived in the quiet village for 18 months, said: “My initial thoughts are that it is great, as long as we don’t have unruly children running round the village causing problems, which I can’t imagine happening.

“Presumably they will keep the grounds in a good condition and maintain the character of the building so I don’t really expect it to be a problem.”

Ms Jenkins said that as long as any coaches transporting children to the hall stuck to the speed limit she couldn’t see it causing an issue for residents.

“We’ve had problems before with police staff and visitors parking in the village anyway, so it’s not going to be as bad as that,” she said.

“I think if it is properly run, with no great impact on the neighbourhood then it will be fantastic - children need to get outdoors and away from their ipads and phones.”

One area that Ms Jenkins was interested in PGL clarifying, which was echoed by another resident, Derek Dingle, was whether or not walkers would still have access to the back of the grounds as many locals take their dogs there.

Mr Dingle said: “When it was on the market the only thing I was worried about was whether it would go downhill.

“I just hope they have enough savvy to keep it clean and tidy and hope that we can still walk around there.”

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said more information was needed about PGL’s plans before judging any impact.