PLANS to more than triple the number of staff at Salisbury police station are flawed according to city councillors.

Wiltshire Police want to increase the number of personnel based at Bourne Hill from 24 to 87.

Cllr Colin Froude told Salisbury's planning and transportation committee on Monday: “The application looks like a rushed job and is not acceptable, because of that we will object it.”

Neighbours had previously been promised there would be no expansion at Bourne Hill after the closure of the Wilton Road police station in 2014.

But under Wiltshire Police’s new Community Policing Model, the force wants to base all officers for the south of the county, including response officers, at the Grade II listed building it shares with Wiltshire Council.

Cllr Michael Pope said: “It seems that the police are trying to get the application done quietly.

“It is a congested area as it is for vehicles and is far too much of an increase in activity for me.

“The arts centre is already in desperate need of help with parking, and with the increase of officers this is only going to make the matter worse as more traffic will evidently used the road.”

Cllr Michael Osment said: “The police do not seem to have learnt their lessons from previous mistakes.

“We were always led to believe that the response team would move to Amesbury, but this will not be the case.”

A total of 87 officers will be based at the site, with a maximum of 24 on duty at any given time. Currently there are just 24 police staff at Bourne Hill, meaning an increase of 263 per cent. Although the enquiry desk is only open 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm Saturday, the building is used for police operations around the clock.

Bourne Hill has been shared by Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire Police since August 2014 after the old police station in Wilton Road was shut down in June that year.

Cllr Margaret Wilmot said: “Traffic plans are required here, therefore I think it really is up to Wiltshire Council to set an example.”