£12 million Telford fire station refit to start in 2020
The £12 million refit of Telford Central Fire Station will get under way next spring, according to a report.
An architect has been chosen for the two-year refit, and work on the site is currently anticipated to start in early 2020, service chiefs will tell Shropshire’s fire authority this week.
The Stafford Park station will be remodelled to house three engines and other specialised firefighting equipment.
It follows redevelopment at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service’s other stations at Clun and Much Wenlock.
In their report, chief fire officer Rod Hammerton and planning manager Ged Edwards write: “An architect has been appointed for Telford Central and is currently carrying out consultations with building users and technical investigations.
“Start on site is currently anticipated early 2020.”
The fee for the design contract was estimated at £500,000, in a report presented to a fire authority sub-committee last year.
Updates
Mr Hammerton and Mr Edwards add that the Clun and Much Wenclock refits were complete and the buildings both occupied.
“There are some snagging works outstanding, and the final account is to be agreed,” they write.
Elsewhere in the report, which updates authority members on projects in the service’s 2018-19 plan, the authors write that IT and finance systems have been upgraded, the rostering system has changed, and the strategic alliance programme with Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has been formally agreed.
Five firefighting pumping vehicles, ordered last year, have been built but are awaiting certification or modification before entering service, and a planned incident command vehicle is delayed while a new Mercedes chassis is built for it.
Mr Hammerton’s and Mr Edwards’s report will be presented to the Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority Audit and Performance Management Committee when it meets at its Shrewsbury headquarters on Thursday.
Work on Much Wenlock’s fire station cost more than £400,000, and saw the old station completely revamped for the 21st century.
Councillor Eric Carter, chairman of the Fire Authority, said it was a major refurbishment.
“If you see a photograph of that building now and then look at how it looks on Google Maps, you wouldn’t recognise it,” he said.
“It’s a wonderful 21st century fire station. All the staff are really pleased with what’s been done. It is just first class.”
