A year ago that, in May 2015, the Government invited Expressions of Interest in respect of the Central Police Station building. 

The deadline for submissions was 31 July 2015, after which the process closed and discussions commenced in order to progress the preferred scheme. Govt have said the decision to proceed in this way was taken after careful consideration of the state of the building.

The scheme currently under discussion includes provision for public access into an area on the ground floor to be used as a Police exhibition space or as a general cultural exhibition space, or both.

One of the conditions is that the historic building will have to be preserved and that heritage considerations will have to be taken into account. The scheme will go through the planning process in public in the usual way in order to allow for greater consultation.

Govt have stated "It is therefore surprising that the Opposition have waited all this time before putting forward ideas of their own for its use, although the timing and substance is clearly a matter for them."