The Coldharbour Police Base on William Barefoot Drive, which serves Mottingham, Coldharbour, and New Eltham, had been under threat following plans announced last year by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to relocate the team to Kidbrooke Village.
The campaign against the closure was led by Conservative councillors Matt Hartley and Roger Tester, who argued that losing the base would have left the area “less safe.”
Councillor Matt Hartley, leader of Greenwich Conservatives, said: “This is a brilliant result for our community.
“Sadiq Khan’s plans to close Coldharbour Police Base would have left the Coldharbour Estate, Mottingham and New Eltham less safe, which was why it was so important to campaign to stop this plan.
“I remain appalled that Labour-run Greenwich Council supported this closure, and refused to back our campaign.
“Fortunately, Roger and I were able to make a strong case to keep the base in operation directly to MOPAC, with the unstinting support of Thomas Turrell AM at City Hall — all backed by incredible support from 1,600 petitioners and community groups across the area.”
The councillors launched a petition that was signed by 1,600 residents and supported by 11 community groups and Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
The petition was submitted to City Hall in November by Bexley and Bromley Assembly Member Thomas Turrell.
In January, Councillors Hartley and Tester met privately with the Deputy Mayor of London for Policing and representatives from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to make the case for keeping the base open.
Councillor Roger Tester, who represents Mottingham, Coldharbour and New Eltham, said: “It was ridiculous to expect our police officers to travel in from Kidbrooke Village — crossing the South Circular and the A20 — to police our ward, and I am very relieved that this closure will not go ahead.
“This is the second time in a decade that Sadiq Khan has tried to close our police base and the second time we have fought this off as a community.
“Matt and I will always be vigilant in protecting our community facilities, and we are grateful to residents and community groups for all your support.”
The Metropolitan Police have now confirmed that the base will remain operational, with the Safer Neighbourhood Team continuing to be based there “with no change.”
There are also longer-term plans to house police teams serving areas on the Bromley side of the borough boundary at the site.
Thomas Turrell, London Assembly Member for Bexley & Bromley, said: “Well done to Matt, Roger and the local community for all their incredible work to save this important police base — which has saved the base for the second time from Sadiq Khan’s axe.
“It is important that the use of this base is extended to cover both neighbourhood teams in the south of Greenwich and also Mottingham and Chislehurst in Bromley to enhance the police presence in these communities as well.
“We need more community police bases and Sadiq Khan needs to stop dragging his feet to deliver them.”
