The ribbon has been cut on Christchurch's new $22 million central police station.

Police and Corrections Minister Anne Tolley officially opened the new single-storey temporary St Asaph St station at a ceremony this morning.

Police also released a time-lapse video documenting the construction of the station.

Tolley thanked police for working in ''makeshift'' conditions since the earthquake, saying they deserved a modern facility.

Police abandoned the top floors of the old Hereford St station in December 2011, and displaced staff worked out of temporary buildings in yards at other city stations.

Some staff had refused to go back in the building since the February 22, 2011, quake.

Construction of the new station started in May, and police started shifting in late last year.

The cells and custody suite are still in use at the old station, but are scheduled to shift next week.

''The teams involved in the design and build deserve praise for making this happen in such a short space of time,'' Tolley said.

The new station will accommodate about 500 police staff and 40 Department of Corrections staff.

"This represents a new and closer way of working, which makes sense given the shared goals of safer communities, less crime, less reoffending and fewer victims of crime,'' Tolley said.

Ngai Tahu owns the old police building.