Government is now assessing tenders to build the new Police station and Magistrates' Court in Hamilton.

The open envelope process went ahead on Friday but Government is staying tightlipped on the details.

Works and Engineering Permanent Secretary Derrick Binns said his ministry would make a recommendation to Cabinet but there was no word on the timetable.

The project, at the junction of Court Street and Victoria Street, has been in the pipeline since 2002 and in 2006 Finance Minister Paula Cox said work would begin that year.

Cabinet finally approved the plan last December.

The building will total 106,000 square feet on five floors including one underground level.

At one stage a plan to expand the project to include new Supreme Court's had been mooted, with an additional storey, but that has now been ruled out.

One industry source said five companies had been invited to put in bids but only two or three actually submitted full papers for a project which could be worth $70 million. Dr. Binns would not be drawn on the total cost of the project.