POLICE will no longer be based in Reading town centre - according to plans accidentally published last night.

The old town centre base would be moved 2.5 miles out of town to Three Mile Cross, possibly in just two years.

The police would keep a desk for contact in the town centre although a final site is not yet known.

The move is set to net the force £5m from selling the Castle Street base as well as reduce running costs by around £327,000 every year.

The Three Mile Cross site is currently the base for the Roads Policing Unit but would be redeveloped to create a new joint facility next to Whitely Wood firestation.

A spokesman said: "Thames Valley Police is focused on the replacement of Reading police station and relocating to Three Mile Cross is the preferred option.

“Reading police station is too big for the Force’s needs and the building requires up to £9m worth of maintenance. Replacing the station with a smaller more efficient building will save the Force an estimated £327,000 a year.

“Any such relocation is unlikely to take place before 2019/20 and all staff and officers affected by any change would be consulted.

“Despite the relocation of most teams, we are committed to retaining a front counter and local facing Operational team presence in Reading town centre.”

If released the old police station along with the former council Civic Centre and Hexagon Theatre would create a 'major regeneration opportunity for central Reading.'

Jo Lovelock, leader of Reading Borough Council, said: "We have been concerned about the whole of this, partly because we want some clarity on their town centre presence.

"It would be good to have some timeline because we own the neighbouring site.

"As far as we know they've always said they want to move operational stuff out of the town centre but keep a presence."

When Police and Crime commissioner Anthony Stansfeld visited the council at the end of 2016 he said the long-mooted relocation could be up to six years away.

Plans to relocate and regenerate sites across Berkshire were published by Slough Borough Council last week.