CONSTRUCTION has started on a new police operations centre for north Kent.

The £30m state-of-the-art headquarters is due to be completed in summer 2008 and will boast four-storeys and a 40-cell custody suite.

Gravesend police station will eventually close as a result, while the future of Dartford's station has not yet been decided.

The operations centre in Thamesway, Northfleet, should provide a better working environment for officers with more parking facilities, offices and conference rooms.

It will also include a central atrium which will offer a communal area and restaurants.

An environmentally-friendly geothermal heating and cooling system will be used to reduce energy consumption.