Tenders are being invited to build a new Police station and Magistrates? Court in Hamilton.

The project at the junction of Court Street and Victoria Street has been in the works since 2002 and in 2006 Finance Minister Paula Cox had said work would begin in May 2006.

The Cabinet finally approved the plan to build the new Hamilton Police Station and the courts together at the end of December, 2006.

The combined Magistrates? Court and Hamilton Police Station building will have an overall area of 106,000 square feet on five floors including one underground level.

Government is asking for applications from local construction management firms or joint ventures between local and overseas firms to provide services for the project.

Pre-qualification documents, which will require a guaranteed sum for the construction, can be picked up from the Ministry of Works and Engineering on the 3rd Floor of the General Post Office between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The documents are due by 3 p.m. on Friday, February 9 and can be submitted to the ?Tender? box of the Ministry of Works and Engineering. Government plans to have interviews with the interested firms prior to making a shortlist for the project.