A total of 27 Northern Ireland police stations are to have heavy fortifications removed, it emerged tonight.
Nationalist SDLP Policing Board member Alex Attwood said plans to change the appearance of 10 police stations had already been approved and bids have also been tabled to scale down a further 17.
Among those likely to be given facelifts under the de-fortification programme are some of the province's most notorious police stations such as Castlereagh and Strand Road in Derry City.
The SDLP has been told the 10 stations earmarked for imminent de-fortification are: Strabane and Dungannon in Co Tyrone; Newcastle and Hillsborough in Co Down; Randalstown, Glenarm, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey in Co Antrim; Tandragee in Co Armagh and Tennant Street off Belfast's loyalist Shankill Road.
The party also understood there have been bids to de-fortify: Ballycastle, Ballymoney and Portglenone in Co Antrim; Holywood, Comber, Donaghadee in Co Down; Lurgan in Co Armagh; Fivemiletown, Cookstown and Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone; Magherafelt, Moneymore, Portstewart and Strand Road in Londonderry, Co Londonderry; Willowfield, Strandtown and Castlereagh in east Belfast.
The exact detail of how each station is to be de-fortified was not yet apparent, however Mr Attwood said the majority of the stations would see a major scaling back on the imposing fortifications.
It is believed entrances to some stations will be changed to make them more accessible to the public.
Mr Attwood said his party had consistently pressed for police stations to be made less oppressive in appearance.
"The SDLP has been working for this on the Policing Board and elsewhere. We are pleased that this agenda is now moving," the West Belfast Assembly member said.
"This is a further sure sign that the Patten recommendations (on police reform) are being implemented and the new beginning to policing is being delivered.
"The reality is that the face of policing throughout the North is changing rapidly - without putting in jeopardy the safety of those working in the stations in any way.
"The SDLP will be holding further talks with the British Government on further normalisation measures on Thursday.
"We will continue to work on the board with the NIO and with the police to get the de-fortification of all stations throughout the North."