New Police Training Centre at Hethersett Old Hall School

R G Carter were appointed to give a former boarding school in Norwich a new lease of life as a training centre for Norfolk’s new police recruits and existing staff. Training for the new recruits previously took place at Norfolk Constabulary’s headquarters in Wymondham but with 100’s of more officers expected to join over a three year period, the former facility was deemed insufficient to cope with the demand moving forward.

Known as ‘The Learning Centre’ it was redeveloped and refurbished throughout the Grade II listed premises. The school was adapted to its new use with 14 classrooms (named using the police’s phonetic alphabet; Alpha, Bravo, Charlie), plus welfare facilities and offices being the first spaces to be completed and in use.

The new facility was officially opened on 25th September 2020 by Ken Williams, Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary from 1993 – 2002.

Following completion of the new police training centre, the project team have since refurbished the previous Sixth Form block into further classrooms and IT suites and worked on the former library set in the old 18th century stable block, creating a series of mock up training spaces, a shop, café, flat and pub, to help with realistic role play.