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Portsmouth Central will shut from tonight, with the public redirected to the police investigation centre off Airport Service Road in Copnor.

The front desk at the £31.4m centre will open from 8am to 8pm, and 10am to 6pm on a bank holiday.

It will replace the custody suites at Portsmouth Central and investigators from Fratton station, in Kingston Crescent, have already moved to the PIC.

The News understands all three stations will be used by police during D-Day 75 commemorations as police undertake a huge operation.

A statement from the crime commissioner’s office said people did not use front counters as much – instead using phones to contact police.

Chief constable Oliva Pinkney said: ‘The Eastern Police Investigation Centre means a real step change for policing in Portsmouth and the whole of our Eastern area, with a new building which serves our communities through thoughtful design and excellence in build and function, fully equipped to suit the policing needs of today and importantly the future.’

Hampshire crime commissioner Michael Lane added: ‘This new policing centre delivers on my promise to give this project my focus and priority and it will support my objective to keep us safer.

‘It brings constabulary colleagues together for more effective and efficient delivery of the policing service.’

It houses 430 officers, investigators and staff and serves Portsmouth, Havant, Gosport, Fareham and parts of east Hampshire.

There are 36 cells and office space for investigators.