Shrewsbury Justice Centre officially opened - with pictures
Shrewsbury’s new Justice Centre has been officially opened after a £5 million refurbishment.
Crown court and social security cases will be heard at the town’s former magistrates court building, which has been completely refurbished since its closure in 2016.
Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales, Lady Justice Macur, cut the ribbon to mark the opening on Friday.
The remodelling and renovation of the former magistrates court is part of HM Courts & Tribunals Service’s commitment to improving the condition of court buildings and access to justice for all users.
The investment has seen two crown court rooms and an adaptable tribunal hearing room built, as well as a full refurbishment of communal and office space and improved security features throughout the building.
Justice Minister, Lucy Frazer, said: “We want to provide the best experience possible for the victims, witnesses, staff and legal professionals who use our courts every day and we have invested £5 million here in Shrewsbury to do just that.
“This new centre will ensure continued access to justice for years to come.”
Resident Judge Peter Barrie said: “Local judges are delighted to move into Shrewsbury Justice Centre at the former magistrates court building. The old site has been extensively refurbished to accommodate juries and now promises a much-improved working environment for everyone involved with the court.”
The investment is part of an ambitious £1 billion reform programme, designed to bring new technology and modern ways of working to the justice system. This is in addition to £15 million announced by the Chancellor last year to improve court buildings in England and Wales.
The Reform Programme is already benefitting people up and down the country with more than 150,000 using HMCTS’s online justice services in 2018.
