Travellers move in at abandoned fire control hub
HI-TECH CENTRE COST MILLIONS BUT HAS NEVER BEEN USED
TRAVELLERS have moved in at an abandoned fire control hub which is costing millions despite never having been used.
Caravans have arrived at the site at Castle Donington. It was built as a hitech regional control centre in 2007 but was scrapped before it went into operation due to spiralling costs.
AN abandoned fire control hub which cost millions has become a new home for travellers.
Caravans have moved on to the site of the building on the Derbyshire-Leicestershire border.
The hi-tech hub, in Castle Donington, was intended to become a regional hub for fire services in the Midlands, including Derbyshire, but the project was scrapped by the Coalition government in 2010 due to spiralling costs.
The three-storey building, in Warke Flatt at Willow Farm Business Park, was one of nine centres nationally commissioned by the Labour Government of the time and was meant to serve the fire services of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
The site, which has a 25-year lease, has been empty since its completion in 2007, with letting agent Avison Young confirming it has not been let out to a third-party occupier ever since it became surplus.
Leicestershire Police confirmed caravans arrived on the site on Sunday evening, with officers continuing to monitor the situation.
Yesterday afternoon, around seven caravans could be seen in the empty car park within the grounds of the site.
What appeared to be a new lock had been put on the gate of the compound.
A spokeswoman for Leicestershire Police said: “On Sunday evening a number of vehicles arrived and parked on land at Warke Flatt, Castle Donington.
“Officers have spoken to the vehicle owners. Local officers continue to monitor the situation.”
Letting agent Avison Young, formerly GVA, says it has informed the facilities management company which deals with the site of the presence of the travellers.
The firm also confirmed that the 30,000 sq ft building has never been let out to a third-party occupier ever since it became surplus.
A spokesman for Avison Young said: “We are aware of the travellers on the site and are in touch the facilities management company which has the control over dealing with this kind of situation.
“As a business, we’ve been involved with the site ever since it became surplus. It is currently vacant and remains available – it has not been let to a third-party occupier ever since we’ve had it.”
Government figures released in 2017 showed the site had costs of least £1.8 million a year in rent and maintenance costs, which officials said was the “minimum legislative requirement” for the unoccupied space at the time.
The Derby Telegraph has approached the Department for Communities and Local Government for comment on the arrival of the travellers and for why the building has never been used.