Epsom police station has been sold, bringing down the curtain on a five-year programme to dispose of more than 20 police stations across Surrey.

Surrey Police raised more than £30m with the closure and sale of police stations in Epsom, Leatherhead, Walton-on-Thames, Esher, and other Surrey towns and villages.

Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro said the capital raised by the sales would help fill a funding gap of £9m dating back to 2009 and that the potential negative effects of stations being closed were offset by a more collaborative approach with other services.

Surrey Comet:

Epsom and Ewell police are now based in the borough’s council offices in The Parade.

Mr Munro said: “We continue to make best use of our existing estate and locations – including co-location with partners in a number of boroughs for better joined up working, ensuring best value for the public and providing a single place for local communities to come to access services.

“Police estate is under constant review to make sure that we have the right estate to meet our current and future needs. Any significant changes to the estate will be publicised as and when decisions have been made.

“We are committed to keeping a fixed police presence in communities currently served by a police station.”

Fraser Castle from the property consultants Bruton Knowles’ Guildford office has overseen the programme.

He said: “The Epsom station was the last in a series of disposals we have handled across the county in what has been a very positive exercise for Surrey Police with some significant wins, most notably at Walton-on-Thames and Leatherhead, where we were able to add significant value through land assembly and negotiation with the local authority.”

In April Epsom and Ewell Neighbourhood Inspector Jackie Elkins told the Epsom Guardian that Government cuts to the force mean Surrey Police must save £25m by 2019.

To make this saving, 234 civilian staff posts and 32 police officers are to be cut during this period, and the force will also be merging its human resources and finance departments with Sussex Police as well as sharing its dog and helicopter section.

Inspector Elkins said despite the cuts, residents of Epsom and Ewell would see more officers on the street, and described it as a more “cost-effective” and collaborative approach to policing that will offer “continuity of care” to victims of crime.

She said: “If anything, the public will see more police presence with more officers patrolling the area.”